Rain In December
by Lady Kathryne
Summary: Bella Swan was betrayed all her life by the person she trusted most to keep her safe. Circumstances land her in La Push, but her past is thrown in her face when she sees Edward. How is she to cope when her past seems hellbent on never letting her move on? AU/ OOC/ Language and adult content
1. 00

**Disclaimer**:

All characters and known situations belong to their respective owners. Everything else came from my own mind- scary place that it is sometimes. In no way shape or form have I made or intended to make a profit from this story…. All rights still belong to Stephenie… though it's a shame she never did anything more with the wolves… ah well.. There's always fan fiction J

**Author's Note:**

There is a trigger warning here. In NO way do I condone child abuse or neglect. This unfortunately does happen in RL and I really feel that if more people were made aware of it, then it would end. Sometimes all you really need is a helping hand.

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Prologue

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Pain.

Fear.

Loneliness.

Heartache.

Hopelessness.

Betrayal.

Isabella Swan felt all of that and more on a daily basis. She was only _just_ 17 and her mother had yet again neglected her birthday. Instead her mother told her in no uncertain terms that she would be gone for most of the day, out with a new boyfriend. Renee had demanded that by the time she came home with said boy toy that the house was to be spotless, dinner was to be ready to eat and Bella herself was to be scarce.

It was her life.

But it was going to be her last year at home. She'd be graduating this year and she'd finally be free to turn her back on the hell she'd known. Unbeknownst to her mother, Bella had been saving every last dime of her paychecks for the last three years. Working as a waitress left her some amazing tip money once she got the hang of it. She was only grateful that they were willing to work with her while she was in school. Bella wasn't even sure if Renee knew she had a job. In her defense, someone had to learn to pay the bills. There were too many times when Bella had gone without power, or water or heat as a young girl.

No more.

She sighed and wiped the fog from the bathroom mirror, staring at herself wrapped in nothing but a fluffy towel. She had the body of a woman with curves in all the right places, ample breasts and a nice round bottom to even the picture out. She'd always hated that the most. She may have looked like a woman, but she felt like a small child still. She was pale- even by Arizona standards (which made hiding bruises hard)- and her hair was wavy and gorgeous. It was her eyes though, that drew people in. Deep, soulful, chocolate brown eyes that captured the attention of almost every person she'd ever met- except her mother.

It was funny. The age old saying that eyes were the window to a person's soul… no one could see hers. She kept herself guarded, hid the bruises and cuts and never let anyone see the pain she felt. She'd told a teacher once and once alone when she was in elementary school. Just after her father had passed away. Her mother had been drinking heavily and had backhanded her so hard that a bruise formed on her cheek hours later.

When CPS had come to investigate, Renee told them that her little Bella was overly clumsy and was lashing out due to the loss of her father. It was the same way over the years. If Bella had letters sent home, Renee made an excuse, and after the officials were gone, Bella would be beaten black and blue all over again.

So she learned to hide it. She became an amazing actress and told people in school who asked- IF they asked- that it was fine. The answers were mechanical, but now that she was a teenager, without her openly admitting something was wrong, they didn't know for sure. Were all teenagers that clumsy or was it just her? How could one girl gain a new bruise or four almost daily?

The front door slamming let Bella know her mother and the new toy boy were home. She closed her eyes, inhaled and let it out slowly. When she heard her mother's door shut and the muffled giggles that followed, she made her way to her own room.

Her sanctuary.

The walls were bare, the bed was a mattress on the floor and dresser consisted of an old book case, but this was Bella's safe place. Nothing could touch her in here. She slipped under her old, worn blanket and closed her eyes. The tension slowly left her body as she sunk into the world of her dreams.

How little she knew, that her world was going to be turned upside down in a matter of hours.


	2. 01

**Author's Note:**

Billy's accident- never happened. Sarah… still alive. Billy can still walk. Rachel and Rebecca left like normal, but they didn't leave to get away from their grief. Rebecca for all intents and purposes got a scholarship to a university in Hawaii and left- same as Rachel.

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Chapter 1

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Charlie Swan had done one thing right before he had passed away. He had named his best friend, William Black god father of his little girl- the most precious gift he'd ever given the Earth. It had always enraged Renee to no ends to know that if anything happened to either her or her husband, Bella would go to a bunch of heathens. Those same heathens she had left when she took Bella from the state of Washington after her husband's death.

Billy sighed and turned on his bedside lamp as the shrill ringing of a phone woke him from his sleep. He grumbled until he saw the number. It was an Arizona area code. Glancing at the clock, he sighed. It was only 7AM.

"Hello?" He answered gruffly.

"_Yes, may I speak to Mr. William Black_?"

Billy rolled his eyes. Who else would be answering the phone? It was easy to tell that Billy wasn't much of a morning person without a cup of coffee at LEAST. "This is he. Who else would answer the phone? Who's asking?"

"_I apologize, Mr. Black. My name is detective Jonathan Toupe with the Arizona homicide division. I'm calling in regards to a last will and testimate of one Charles Swan that says that if anything happens to either him or his wife that their daughter- Isabella Swan- is to be placed into your custody… is this correct._"

Billy felt his world tilt on its axis. "What's happened?" He all but whispered.

"_Sir, I'm afraid to tell you that Mrs. Renee Swan was murdered by her boyfriend last night feet from the room where Isabella lay_." Jonathan answered gently.

Billy let out a gasp. "Is my god daughter harmed?!"

Jonathan hesitated. "_She was admitted to the hospital here in Phoenix. Is there any way you could fly down to talk to us in person?_"

"I'll be there tomorrow." He told him gravely.

Jonathan sighed. "_I can offer you a hotel room for the time you're here, Mr. Black. This is extremely short notice I understand_."

Billy smiled slightly though the other man couldn't see it. "I'd appreciate that. Is Bella badly harmed?"

"_I don't know the details, Mr. Black. I just know that she was admitted to the hospital after her mother's boyfriend had beaten her to death. It's my understanding that Ms. Swan tried to stop him._"

Billy sighed. "What caused it to happen?"

"_We found trace amounts of drugs and alcohol in his system._" Jonathan answered honestly.

"So my god daughter was put into the hospital and her mother killed only because some man had a bad trip?! What's to be done?!"

"_Mr. Black… I understand your ire.. Please-_"

"What. is. to be done. Detective?" Billy growled.

Jonathan sighed. "_It's up to the courts. He'll be charged for first degree murder and then tried for it. If found guilty, he'll be sentenced to prison._"

Billy sighed. "It's not good enough." He admitted sadly.

"_I'm sure it feels that way, Mr. Black. Now, what time can I expect you?_"

"Some time tomorrow evening. Is there a number I can reach you at?" Billy asked.

"_You can call us here at the station- (623) 414- 7374. Ask to be put through to either myself or my partner- Detective Joe Sutter. We can get the information to you that you'll need at that time. I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Black-_"

"Bella is my family. Renee was her mother, but she was no friend of mine. I told her I'd never forgive her for what she did to my brother."

Jonathan sighed. "_Have a nice day, Mr. Black_."

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Sarah Black was an intuitive woman. She knew from the quiet in the house after the phone call that something was wrong. Very wrong. Making her way past her son's room, she poked her head in and smiled lightly. Her poor boy looked like a grown man no thanks to the vampire family living in Forks.

The pack of shape shifting wolves was made up of Sam Uley, Jared Cameron, Paul Lahote, Embry Call, her son and Quil Ateara. So far. She had heard from Harry and Sue just yesterday that their boy, Seth Clearwater, was showing signs of his first oncoming phase.. She sighed, moved to Jacob's side and kissed his forehead. She smiled with all the love a mother possessed as she watched him frown in his sleep at the unfamiliar touch.

A throat clearing quietly from the doorway grabbed her attention. She looked up to see her husband standing there with tears swimming in his brown orbs. At once she had him by the hand leading him to the kitchen table. She sat him in a chair and perched herself lightly on his muscled thigh.

"Billy? Talk to me? I can't help if I don't know what's wrong.." Sarah cooed.

They were both of them unaware that Jacob had woken up when his father had cleared his throat. He was now listening into the supposedly private conversation. If his father was that upset, there was something definitely wrong.

"It's Bella." Billy finally sighed.

Jacob had very fond memories of his best friend and cousin (He'd be shocked to learn that his dad and Charlie were half brother's.). She was the only girl he knew who liked to play in the dirt and climb trees and kick a ball around as much as he did. Then her mother stole her away when she was ten.. And he hadn't seen her since. Renee hadn't even let her come to her dad's funeral.

"Is she alright? What happened? Was that her on the phone? Has Renee done something to her? If she has I'll fly down there and give that god awful woman a piece of my mind!" Sarah very nearly growled.

Jacob chuckled. His mother was a spitfire.

"Sarah, please, calm down. It's more serious than that. I have to fly down to Phoenix. They only called me because I'm Bella's god father. No one really knows we're related by blood. We didn't learn about it until I offered to give him some of mine when he got sick that one time… Sarah… Renee was murdered last night by her boyfriend."

Sarah gasped. "Oh spirits! Is Bella alright?!"

"I don't know. She's in the hospital. The detective I spoke with said little else. Just that he wanted to talk to me face to face." He sighed.

"I'll pack you a bag. Will you be staying long?" She asked gently.

Billy sighed. "I just don't know. If something has happened to the girl… Sarah.. She's like a daughter to me.."

"I'm scared too Billy. I'll pack you enough for a week. That should cover you. I'll make some phone calls now as well. You've saved up some vacation days at the fishing yard. I'm sure they'd understand. Call me when you land. I'll have Sam run you to the airport." She said with a smile on her face.

"I'm coming too dad!" Jacob huffed, finally making his presence known. "Please. I… I wanna help."

Sarah sighed and brought him to the table, pushing on his broad shoulders gently. He sat compliantly and stared at his dad. "Please?"

"Jake…" Billy trailed off with a sigh. His options were weighed and he knew that if anyone could help Bella, it would be Jacob. "Alright. But you MUST listen to everything I say, and under no uncertain terms are you to phase. It's too dangerous."

Jacob nodded in understanding. Bella was family to him. If something had happened to her, he'd need to be strong in order to help her. "Alright. I promise." He said honestly.

Sarah sighed and corrected the tickets she had just booked before making herself useful by packing a bag each for her son and her husband. Jacob helped her move the furniture around in his sisters room before it was time for them to leave. With all the heavy lifting done, Sarah waved her family off and made ready the room that would be Bella's when she arrived.


	3. 02

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Chapter 2

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Bella mentally screamed and pleaded with herself to move as the events that lead up to her mother's murder- and her subsequent brutal beating and attempted rape if he hadn't of passed out above her first- played over and over like a never ending movie. She watched as his form began to twitch- the anger forming his eyes into hardened orbs of blue fire. She watched as he became angrier and angrier unto Bella herself- as she saw herself in her minds eye- came down the hall to investigate.

The nurse checking her vitals sighed wearily and pushed another dose of morphine through the girl's IV. She'd venture to say that her patient was a pretty girl. She couldn't see the girl's beauty now though- not outwardly at least. She was black and blue from bruises and her face, chest and arms were sliced and cut from the knife that had been used to kill her very own mother. It tore through the nurses heart. This girl wasn't much younger than her 28 years of life. She could sympathize a little- she left her tribe for a fresh start in a city and had come close to being in this poor girls shoes. If not for the man she had now- her husband of two years- it could have been her in the bed.

What kind of hell the young girl on the bed had gone through, the nurse would never know. It was only after she'd seen the heart rate on the monitor spike that her own maternal instincts kicked in… her daughter was only three now, she never wanted to see this happen to her child. Throwing caution to the wind, the nurse set her patient charts back on her nurses cart and took up her young wards hand. She began to sing a lullaby- one in her native tongue that her mother had sung to her on nights when she was too scared to sleep.

It was that lullaby that caught Jacob Black's attention when he walked through the door of his cousin's room. His head cocked to the side in curiosity as he listened to the soothing sounds and coos that only a mother could make. His smile widened into a grin when the nurse in question finally noticed his presence.

"I'm sorry. She was distressed."

"No… it's fine. It worked. I might have to keep you." He teased.

"None of that now. I'm probably twice your age. Now, as handsome as you are, tell me what you're doing in this girl's room or I'll have to ask you to leave." She said gently.

"I'm her cousin. My dad got a call that she'd been put in the hospital. He's talking to the detectives outside right now. I didn't want to hear what had happened so I came up here." He said, his eyes not leaving the beaten form of his best friend.

The nurse sighed. "She's in pretty bad shape." She admitted.

"She'll pull through though, won't she?" He asked her quietly. Jacob needed some kind of confirmation that she'd be ok.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, she only gave him a small smile. "It'll be a battle. But I think she'll pull through. My goodness! You're hot! Are you ill?"

Jacob laughed. "No.. it's a genetic condition. I'm perfectly fine I promise you."

"Alright. If you need anything, my name is Leosanni." She said nodding her head.

"I don't mean to be rude… but… what tribe are you from?" He asked timidly.

"I'm apache. I moved here to phoenix for a fresh start from my reservation in the White Mountains. What made you ask?"

"The song. It's not English.. It sounds like one of the native tongues I've heard from a few of the pow wows I've been to." He shrugged.

Loesanni smiled. "Well now… it's my turn to ask… if you'll care to share that is.." She grinned.

"I'm Quileute."

"Far to the north… it must be a shock coming down here to this heat." She mused.

Jacob shrugged. "I'll be happy to be home, sure… but I'll be even more happy to see Bella up and walking again."

Leosanni smiled. "I'm sure she'll pull through. Time, patience and love are three things every woman needs to heal. Don't get upset with her if she doesn't open up right away… she'll more than likely need time to learn to trust again."

"You sound as though you know a little of what she's been through." A new voice sounded behind them.

She sighed. She'd seen the detectives once or twice but it still took a moment to still her heart. "I do… I left a man who would have landed me in a bed similar to the one she's in." She answered honestly. "Now… if you'll excuse me… I have other patients to see. Good day gentlemen."

Billy sighed. Tears blurred his vision as he looked at his god daughter- his niece. "Oh sweet Bella… look at what's been done to you." He whispered, holding her hand gently.

The detectives who had followed Billy into the room could only stare. They'd seen Bella, but there was more to it. One look and they could see a life time of suffering all wrapped into a sweet little package complete with heartbreaking brown eyes and long gorgeous auburn hair.

"Sir… we'd just like to pass along our sincerest condolences. We'll try to ensure that the man that did this does end up behind bars."

"Monster." Jacob whispered.

"I'm sorry?"

"You said man. No MAN could do this. This was the work of a monster trapped within a mans body. This… this wasn't the work of a man. Not a respectable one anyways." Jacob told them without turning around.

The detectives were a little taken aback by his easy dismissal to their authority in the room. They were both relatively well built men, but even Jacob put them to shame in both height and physical build. He'd easily overpower them both, and by not turning around, he was letting them both know he neither wanted to give them the time of day nor did he see them as much of a threat on their own.

Billy sighed but didn't bother to correct his son's disrespectful behavior. "Just tell me when I can take my niece home."

The detectives both sighed. "That's up to the doctors I'd presume to say."

Jacob rolled his eyes. He only took one of Bella's hands into his own. He'd never forgive the son of a bitch who'd harmed his Bells. He was so confused at the moment though, maybe it was the smell of the hospital, but… he could almost swear there was an underlying smell of leech… that wasn't possible, was it?

"Jacob?"

Jacob blinked and looked up to see his dad looking at him with concern shining in his eyes. "Huh?"

Billy motioned with his eyes down to Jacob's now almost violently shaking arms. Jacob sighed and shook his head, trying to clear it of his anger. "You need to take a walk?"

"No… I'm fine. Just upset that this happened to her." He sighed.

The detectives smiled sadly. They both understood to some degree how hard it must have been for her family to see her like that. "We'll send a doctor in to talk to you. If you can think of anything that would help, please don't hesitate to call us."

Jacob only rolled his eyes again. They'd never be able to take what happened to her away. He only prayed that she could fight back to where she was before the attack. He hadn't even seen her since she was little. Just before her father had died. With another sigh, he settled in to wait on the doctors. He too wanted to know how long it would be before he could get home.

By the time he woke up, a doctor was shaking hands with Billy and walking out of the room. He arched an eyebrow at his dad and waited for him to work through his emotions. Billy was shaking like a leaf trying to withstand the gale force winds of an oncoming hurricane. Jacob had never seen his dad so angry.

"Dad?"

Billy sighed. "The found accounts of abuse, Jacob. But they could never prove anything. He's got records starting as far back as five years old… burns… breaks… feinting spells caused by not eating… bruises…stomach pains… she almost had her appendix burst inside of her because that…. _bitch_ wouldn't take her to the hospital… the school nurse called an ambulance…"

Jacob inhaled sharply. "Did no one report her to social services?"

"They tried. There are notes on investigations here in this folder as well… I was told by the doctors to give it to the staff in Washington. They're transporting her at the end of the week." Billy sighed.

"When will she wake up?"

"I don't know. They said there was a lot of head trauma… that her body has put itself into a kind of coma to help her heal.. But they don't know when she'll wake up. And even then, when she does… they don't know how hard it will be… possible depression… because of her mom being killed… that's what they told me." Billy scoffed at the vile taste of the words in his mouth.

Jacob sighed. "Sit with her? I have to run… I'm sorry… I can't…"

Billy nodded. "Call the pack… talk to Embry… or Quil…. Even Sam. You can't phase here… no cover."

"Ok. I'll be back soon." Jacob nodded.

Billy only sighed sadly. He couldn't wait for the end of the week to come. Jacob shared his sentiments as he walked briskly down the hall. There were only one person he could talk to at the moment. He bit his lip and leaned against the brick wall once he was outside. He grinned when the phone was picked up.

_ "Hello? Black residence."_

"Mom?"


	4. 03

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Chapter 3

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Billy sighed tiredly as he stepped off the helicopter with Jacob in tow. Bella was still in a coma, much to the doctors' confusion. A whole team of specialists had tried to tell Billy that she shouldn't be moved when he'd asked her to be transported back to Washington, but he wouldn't hear it. She was only 17- a minor in the states eyes, and Billy was her legal guardian. He wanted her close to family. Especially after he learned what had made Jacob so mad.

They'd found the source of the smell once the detectives had left. Jacob confirmed that it was indeed a vampire and it was coming from the clothes she'd been brought in. the staff had bagged them for her, but done little else. Jacob's skin had crawled with fury. He wanted so badly to know how should have gotten involved with such monsters. What he nor Billy knew, was that the vampire in question had been following her around since she was a toddler. A phantom staring in many of her nightmares, more times than not Bella would wake up screaming in fright. Jacob hadn't left her side after that, refusing to allow her to be venerable in the slightest bit.

By Thursday night, Billy and Jacob were packed and their plane tickets had been refunded. Seeing as Bella was a minor, Billy had been granted permission to ride along with her. Seeing as Jacob was a minor- though the doctors swore he was older than 16- he'd be traveling along with them as well.

Now, it was nearing midday on Friday, and Billy and Jacob were following Bella's gurney as she was wheeled into the hospital. They were directed to the waiting room where they were to fill out all of her information while she was placed in a room of her own. Billy only sighed. She was home. Almost.

Jacob arched an eyebrow when his phone went off, earning him a disapproving glare from the desk nurse. He rolled his eyes, patted his dad's back to let him know he'd be back and walked out towards the front doors. He only just resisted having a childish moment by sticking his tongue out at her as he went.

Sam had called while they had been in the air. He'd wanted to know if they were home yet, and when the pack would be allowed to visit. He'd heard word that the Cullen's had visitors. Their cousins- another group of animal loving leeches- were in town. Carlisle had asked to meet with the pack the day after Jacob had first flown down to Arizona. Jacob was the only wolf who had not been there. As the beta of the pack- until he became alpha himself- it had raised questions as to where he was.

Naturally, the mind reader had ripped through their minds to find the answer. What he had seen was cause now for alarm as Sam explained that Edward believed Bella was his mate.

Jacob growled low in his throat at that. There was no way he'd let a leech near his cousin.

"Sam, hey." Jacob said when he was out the door.

Sam sighed. "Hey, you guys settled in?"

"We just landed about fifteen minutes ago now.. What's wrong? You sound upset about something."

Sam wondered how, even over the phone, his beta was as perceptive as he was. "I am, but it's nothing that can't be solved later. How are things? I haven't talked to you in a while.."

"I'm…. I don't know. We had some issues earlier this week. The blood work came back on Phil on Tuesday… he ingested high amounts of LSD mixed together with smaller amounts of PCP, morphine and heroin. They called it a speedball… it gave him a bad trip and caused him hallucinations." Jacob all but growled.

Sam shook his head even though he knew Jacob couldn't see it. "I'm sorry."

"He told the cop responding that he was punishing the demon prince Sitirian for not allowing him to have his choice in women. He was going to… he tried to…" Jacob calmed himself down. The last thing he needed to do was phase in public.

"Do you want us to come to you?"

"She should be in a room by the time you get here… just… don't crowd… dad's still kind of messed up. I think he's thinking of uncle Charlie again…"

Sam sighed. "I understand. I'll bring Paul with me in my truck. I'll Quil and Embry come with Jared when they get done with patrol."

"Thanks Sam…"

"Don't thank me. She's family to you, which makes her family to us. She'll be ok now. So long as the leeches stay away."

Jacob growled. "Speaking of… I have to go. Something stinks."

Sam shook his head and hung his phone up before giving out orders. Paul climbed into the passenger side of his truck after he made it back to Sam's house not ten minutes later. Emily had given him a giant ham and cheese sub sandwich with extra mayo and pickles- made exactly how he liked- kissed Sam and waved goodbye to them.

It took a half an hour for them to make it to the hospital, ten minutes to park, and another ten minutes to find Bella's room. Paul hesitated slightly before raising his hand to knock on her door. It opened before he even had a chance. He grinned when he saw Jacob, surprising not only Sam, but Jacob as well by pulling him into a brief hug.

"If anyone asks, it was the wolf." He demanded when they broke apart.

Jacob smirked. "Sure, sure." He said walking out into the hallway.

"How was it?" Sam asked when the door was closed. He was implying the rest of the trip.

"There was a leech… somewhere down the road she came into contact with it…"

Sam and Paul were shell shocked. The watched as Jacob scrubbed at his face tiredly, only just then noticing the bags under his eyes. It made him look aged beyond his 16 years of life and neither of them liked it. They remembered little of the girl laying in the hospital bed. Bella Swan had been taken by her mother as a toddler and after her father's death to which she had not even been allowed to attend his funeral for, she had all but disappeared from their lives. The pack knew only what Billy could remember of her or what Jacob had shared over the years in his head- not a lot.

"How bad, Jake?" Paul asked quietly. He knew what it was like to be beaten. Granted he'd never been beaten by someone who wasn't a parent, but wasn't one just as bad as the other? He was already thinking of ways to try and help her when she finally woke up.

There was a frown on his face when Jacob looked up at them. "Renee is lucky she's already dead. I'd let my wolf tear her limb from limb otherwise." He growled.

Sam's eyes widened. "I thought she was attacked by her mother's boyfriend.. Why are you upset with her mother?"

"Because it's so much worse than we first learned it was over the phone." it was all he could say.

Paul swallowed roughly, trying to ignore his own demons rolling through his mind. "I'll help her if I can…" He whispered knowing full well his pack mates would hear him.

Anything else that would have been said was interrupted by a ringing phone. They could hear it through the closed door plain as day. Billy only sighed. "Hello?"

_ "Billy…"_ Sarah's voice came over the other end in a whisper.. She was quiet- scared almost.

"Sarah? Sarah, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Billy asked as calmly as he could.

_ "Billy are you at the hospital still?"_ Jacob's eyes flashed with panic.

"Yes… I am… what's happened?"

_ "There's been an addition to the pack…"_ Sam's eyes closed, trying to hide the pain of another ruined life. _"Two new additions."_

'Two?!' Paul mouthed.

"Sarah… who is it? Can you tell me?"

_ "Harry had a heart attack. Sue's quick thinking might have saved him, but they're taking him to the hospital in Forks now. Billy… his kids… Leah and Seth have both changed."_

"They've changed? I'm not following you." Billy said.

Sarah sighed. _"They're not themselves. Perhaps you can send Sam after them. To offer them comfort and tell them it will be alright?"_

Billy finally understood. Leah had phased. He looked up when the door opened. Jacob, Paul and Sam nodded to him in understand before turning to leave. He sighed. "They're on their way to help. I'll ask a nurse to tell me when Harry gets here. Are you going to bring Sue?"

_ "I am, yes. I want to see my niece as well as be there for Sue. How's Bella? And just as importantly, how are you and Jacob?"_

Billy smiled briefly. "Jacob and I are fine. But… it's worse than we thought. She's going to need you…"

He heard his wife sigh. _"I'll help her in any way I can. But I think you'll find, she'll have more than just me… she has her entire family again."_

Billy agreed. He could only pray that Bella would learn to trust them in time. Given what had happened to her for what he gathered had been almost all of her life thus far, he didn't think she'd be directly open with them as easily as Sarah hoped. Either way they saw, they were all of them in for a long road of tears and sorrow. It was all dependant on Bella to wake up. It was the only way they would know just how badly she'd been hurt- mentally and physically.

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Quick authors note:

I want to say a quick thank you to Jasper'sDarlinKathy for helping me with some of the affects of the illegal drugs… medical books are awesome.. Also…. I'm hiding under my rock again… it's been heavily fortified… it keeps me safe… for now at least.


	5. 04

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Chapter 4

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Her heart monitor raced as Bella lay completely still in the hospital bed. she was helpless to stop the horde of nightmarish images plaguing her mind. The demon most prominent in her minds eye was the one with cruel, hate filled red eyes. She'd seen them all of her life almost, chasing her from state to state, each time she closed her eyes. No where would ever be safe enough to escape those murderous orbs. Not even the hell her mother put her through scared her as much as those eyes.

*Memories*

_ She was 7 the first time he approached her. She'd been living in New Mexico. Her babysitter had taken her to the park. Her friends from school- the two that she had- told her to come and play with them out of Krystal's sight. Little did she know, she was being watched by something else all together. He hadn't been a demon then. A monster, yes… a demon, no._

_ "Hello girls."_

_ Bella and her friends Gabriella and Lily jumped and whirled around to face a tall, broad shouldered man with crystal blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. His face was sharp, but the smile he wore was gentle. Being a cops daughter, Bella was still wary. Her two friends were quick to note that he had a puppy in his arms._

_ "Lily! Gabriella! Come on… Krystal said not to go too far." Bella said while gently tugging their shirt sleeves._

_ "In a minute Bella. He's got a puppy!" Lily huffed._

_ Bella shook her head, grabbed Gabriella's hand and ran back to Krystal. She didn't trust the man. Something in her told her to run. _

_ An hour later, with more police in the park than she had seen in a long time, Bella learned that her instincts had saved her life and that of Gabriella's. Krystal was in tears thanking Bella for being so smart. Gabriella's mother- a gorgeous woman who always smelled like peppermints had taken Bella into her arms and sobbed her thanks. Gabriella was alive because of her._

_ Renee was acting the part of a concerned mother- Bella knew what would happen when they got home. The police officer- a nice lady named Amy- asked her if she could remember what he looked like. She told her that he looked nice. Just… average. That's what the police had claimed. He was average. Bella really didn't think he was average at all. He was… something not right. He reminded her of her mom after she'd had some of that awful amber stuff._

_ It was another week after that when Bella learned that her friend, the girl she'd been in school with since she was in kindergarten had been murdered. Her blonde haired, sweet green eyed body had been found, half buried in an abandoned field. She'd been naked as the day she was born, bruised and broken. Only 7 years old, killed because the monster inside had come out to terrify her friends and won over the heart of the man he lived within._

_ When next Bella saw him, she was 10. She and her mother were living in Colorado. She'd been walking home from school with her head down. She'd been teased again because her clothes were ratty. Kids could be vicious when it came to things like that. There was no Lily or Gabriella to keep them away from. So she stayed quiet, tried to hide her bruises from the kids in her class and her new teacher, and kept her head down. _

_ That was how she'd found him. She'd almost run into him. Only this time, his eyes weren't blue. Instead… they were a dark red. A bone chilling, spine tingling, terror inducing red. She'd let out a gasp when he knelt in front of her._

_ "H-hello… I'm sorry. I didn't see you."_

_ "It's alright little one. I assure you, you didn't hurt me." _

_ Bella nodded her head and backed up when he moved to brush her hair away from her face. The man in front of her chuckled. She didn't understand what was so funny about it. When next she looked up he was gone._

_ She'd missed the pixie like woman crashing into him after she was around the corner. She also missed the warning she received from her, saying that she'd had visions of her own for the girl already. She was meant to be a member of HER family when the time came…. Not a mate to a beast such as him._

_ Bella had kept looking over her shoulder as she made her way home. When she finally made it in the door- twenty minutes late- she was completely unprepared to face the real monster in her life. Her mother's hand connected with her cheek- the exact spot the stranger had tried to touch- causing Bella to whimper in pain. _

_ Renee had been drinking heavily all day. Bella coming inside had woken her up. If her brat of a daughter couldn't learn to be quiet, she'd just have to punish her for it. The next time her hand connected with Bella's body, Bella didn't make a sound. The two times after that, even the tears were dried up._

_ Renee sneered. "Pathetic. Just like your no good excuse for a father!" She slurred._

_ Bella swallowed the bile down and made her way to her room after her mother left. Once she was inside, she let the pain free, sobbing quietly into her pillow, wishing her daddy was still alive to come and save her. Little did she know, she was being watched- just not by an angel. Her demon had found her again. And he was thrilled to find her older, her blood sweeter. He'd only JUST refrained from draining her dry in public. He'd give it a few more years. She'd be his for the taking by then._

_ Bella was graced with his presence the day after her 13__th__ birthday in Utah. She'd been taking the garbage out while her mother slept off her hangover. The house was spotless, the bills were paid- no thanks to Bella who had learned at 11 to balance a check book on her own- and the laundry for the week was done. Now all she had left to do was the mountain of her homework. The poor girl felt world weary- aged beyond her years and none too pleased with her hand in life. _

_ Her demon didn't make himself known, however, due to the two boys stopping their bikes in front of her driveway. He glared. How dare she have another male near her. She was his. _

_ "Hey Bella! Didn't think you'd show face after yesterday." One of them said._

_ Bella sighed. "Hi Jeremy."_

_ "How are you, Bella?" The other asked._

_ Bella winced when she shrugged. She'd been in her first school fight yesterday. On her birthday of all days. She'd defended herself, and the girls in school had said as much. The ones she talked to at least. She'd still been slammed into a few of the lockers relatively hard. That was on top of the beating she had taken from her mom the day before. _

_ "Do you want to hang out sometime?"_

_ Bella sighed. "It's not a good idea. My mom… she doesn't like me leaving the house. She's not feeling well right now so I'm taking care of her…"_

_ "BELLA! WHERE ARE YOU?!"_

_ Bella's eyes went wide. She bit her lip and winced a little at the sting from the split there. "I gotta go. Thanks you guys. Keith, maybe some other time, ok? Jeremy, thanks." She said waiving before turning to run inside._

_ The last time she'd seen him was in Arizona, a year before her near fatal beating. His red eyes had trapped her from across the parking lot. He hadn't been alone though. Instead, there were two others with him. Two more demons for her to run from. He hadn't said anything this time, only stared at her from across the parking lot. _

_ By the time she'd gotten home, her mother was passed out on the couch again, with barely anything on. Bella sighed, covered her up and went to do her homework._

_ *End Memories*_

Paul had left the room to get him and his charge something to eat. Even as a new wolf, Paul surmised that Seth could handle being in the room with a comatose patient without any anger. There was nothing at all to be angry **about**! Besides, this was the perfect time for said new wolf to catch up on the sleep he'd been missing out on.

The sounds of heavy breathing broke into his sleep fogged mind. A strongly beating heart was the next thing Seth registered. The last things to completely wake him up were the whimpers of fear and the fast pace of the heart monitor attached to Bella's chest.

She was terrified.

He didn't have to be a doctor to know that.

'_Touch her. Take her hand and calm her fears. Protect her.'_

Seth didn't question the voice in his head. He took her hand in his gently, allowing his thumb to run soothing circles over her soft skin. He thought back to the times he'd been afraid as a child. His mother, even his pseudo aunts had all sung to him and ran their hands through his hair.

Anything was worth a try if it meant the girl laying in the bed would calm down. With a deep breath, Seth's free hand began stroking her hair as his lips lowered to her ear. The lullaby came easily to him, and he preened as he watched the monitor slow.. Even heard her heartbeat calm.

A blanket of heat encased her terror fogged mind as the gentle sound of Seth's baritone voice chased the demons away. It was temporary though he didn't know. They'd come back. It did, however, wake her enough that she caught some of the conversation now taking place above her.

"She ok?"

"I think so.. She was scared.. Like something was hurting her."

He had no idea.

"What made you sing to her?"

"I heard something in my head.. It said to protect her."

"Your wolf spoke to you?!" He sounded shocked.

She didn't understand. Wolves didn't speak. Maybe it was the medicine making her hear things.

"…Jake too sometimes. No one else trusts their wolf yet."

"Why don't they? I mean.. we're protectors… right?"

"Kid, you have so much to learn. Just because we're protectors doesn't mean we can't harm."

"But that's what I don't **get** Paul." He growled out.

Bella's heart monitor spiked. That growl sounded dangerous.

"Hey… shh…shh, you're ok… it's alright. You're safe."

She felt the gently hand, warm to the touch, dance around her forehead twice before it was gone.

"You need to calm down Seth. Let me tell you something. Jake told Sam and I Renee was lucky she was dead already. His wolf wanted to destroy her for what happened to Bella. Frankly, so did mine. And I'm not the one related to her. But our stories are so similar…"

Jake… Billy… she knew those names. Why did she know those names? They couldn't mean her cousin Jacob and her uncle Billy could they? And did she hear him right? Her mom was dead?

A sigh left Bella's lips giving pause to the conversation. Paul noticed Seth's hand still holding Bella's ever so gently. He frowned in thought. It almost made him think she was reacting to him.. But that was impossible.. Wasn't it?

"Stay here. I'm gonna go get Jake."

"Think he'll let me see my dad? It's been a couple weeks now."

"Yeah.. Leah's with him now.. It's only fair. I'll be back."

Seth let out a sigh. "Protectors… Pfft, yeah… right. I couldn't even keep my own **dad** out of the hospital. Some protector I am, huh. By the way, I'm Seth, Bella. And I'm really sorry you're here."

Bella was fighting the fog of sleep. She wanted to stay near him. Seth… she'd heard him called Seth. He even told her that. He'd chased the demons away from her mind. He'd kept her safe while she was awake in her self made purgatory. She knew hell would find her again when she **did** fall asleep. It always did. At least she'd been offered a slight reprieve. If only she could thank him properly..

Seth looked down in shock. Jacob and Paul were frozen in the doorway. Bella's hand had clenched tightly around Seth's. He was too shocked to move.

By the time a doctor was in her room, Bella's hand as well as her mind were once again still. The doctor went on to say it was nothing more than a muscle memory spasm. It would be a while yet before she was awake. It did nothing more than give her cousin hope that maybe she'd be ok.

If only they knew the hell she saw every time she closed her eyes.


	6. 05

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Chapter 5

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Courtney DeRuix was a blonde haired, blue eyed firecracker. She'd breezed easily into Bella's life the first day of high school when she'd seen Bella's hand flying over a sketch pad. One comment and a small smile had been enough to give Bella pause and wonder why the girl was sitting with her when no one else dared give her a second look.

She was 5'2" of nothing but nerves and Bella soon learned that it took one abused child to recognize another. Courtney learned to trust Bella, just as Bella learned to open up and trust her. The two became inseparable, bonding over the pain of every slap, hit, kick and vile word spat at them.

For two years they leaned on and supported each other, both of them finding comfort in the silence that normally encompassed them. The other kids in school called them names, tried to pick fights, even went so far as to spread petty rumors. They didn't mind. They had each other; it was all they really needed to survive.

_ "Bella, come here for a minute?" _

_ Bella eyed her teacher warily. She never got called to the teacher's desk. "Am I in trouble?" She asked her homeroom and biology teacher, Mrs. Shoemaker, when she was standing next to her._

_ "No sweetie. I just wanted to know if you'd seen Courtney? She hasn't been in school for three days."_

_ "No… um.. I got a text from her the other day… she said she was sick and wouldn't be in." Bella knew that was code for 'I just got hit again, waiting for the bruises to go away.'_

_ "Ok, thank you. Have a seat." She said gently._

_ Bella nearly winced when she patted a fresh bruise on her arm that was being covered by a hoodie. She'd just sat back down when the announcements started. A knock on the door quickly revealed the principle and vice principle themselves. _

_ "Good morning. Mrs. Shoemaker, I'd like to talk to your students for a few minutes if I can." Mr. Bohne asked._

_ She smiled and nodded. "Of course."_

_ "I want you to think for a moment. What would you do if you saw a friend being hit? Would you defend them?" Mr. Bohne wondered._

_ Bella felt her heart sinking. She looked around the classroom at a few of the boys agreeing vocally to the prospect of a fight._

_ "What would you do if you saw a stranger being hit? Would you still defend them?" Their principle, Mr. Morrison asked._

_ There was still agreement, but it was only slightly less. Bella swallowed thickly, tears starting to gather in her eyes._

_ "What if you found out someone was being abused?"_

_ There was dead silence in the classroom. Somehow Bella knew something really bad had happened._

_ "Who knows the signs of abuse? Anyone? It's ok if you don't know. They're hard to miss sometimes. We as teachers and counselors are trained to recognize it. Students sometimes have a harder time."_

_ Tears gathered in Bella's eyes._

_ "No offense, Mr. Morrison, but what does this have to do with any of us?"_

_ Bella swallowed back the bitter laugh she wanted to let out. Stupid cheerleaders. Kali Carter had to be the dumbest of them all. Was it a requirement to be that dumb in order to be captain?_

_ "This has everything to do with you, seeing as it involves a part of your class. There's one student here who will never grace us with another smile, another laugh, or another breath. Courtney DeRuix was hospitalized three days ago due to injuries sustained from her father. She has since passed on."_

_ Bella gasped. It was loud enough that every head turned to her. Tears ran down her face quietly. She could see the questions forming in their eyes before she gathered her things and moved to the hallway. No one said a word._

Hushed voices caught her attention as she lay in the hospital bed. It was the two boys who had been sitting with her every day so far since she'd started coming to. She had still yet to figure out just why they were there. Was she related to them. The one.. Paul? She thought that was his name… he had a protective touch. Somehow she knew he was ok.

But Seth…

She couldn't even open her eyes and something said he was ok. Something said maybe she could trust him. His touch was gentle.. Shy almost.. He was caring, and it showed in the way he would talk to her.

But that couldn't be right. Men were only sweet until they had what they wanted. Their fists were weapons and their words were poison..

But… maybe… she'd have to see them eventually. She just had to wake up.

"Come on dude. Let's get something to eat. She'll be alright."

They were leaving her?

"I don't know. I mean… Jake said he wants someone with her until she's awake so she doesn't freak out."

"She'll be fine. We're going right across the hall."

"And down the stairs to the cafeteria… you're going to get me killed."

"Come on, pup. She'll be fine. She's just sleeping, remember?"

Seth rolled his eyes. He and Paul had been sitting beside Bella every day for the last two weeks since she'd arrived in Forks General. In those two weeks, they'd seen remarkable improvement to her health. Even her bruising was beginning to fade, allowing some resemblance of the girl she was to shine through.

There were fleeting moments when she responded to both his and Paul's touches, to their words. But when it was Seth alone with her, he'd swear she would listen to him as he spoke. Seth finally sighed. It was all the agreement Paul would get from him.

Paul grinned. He'd told Jacob about his suspicions. He'd told Billy as well. They both prayed Paul was right. She'd have a ready made guardian in the form of the gentle behemoth. They'd not been in the cafeteria for more than ten minutes before the screams and whimpers reached their sensitive ears. The hair on the backs of their necks raised and they shared a look. Their food was abandoned, half eaten, to the garbage cans before they raced back upstairs.

"Paul… you need to call Jake. Let him know she's awake!" Seth hissed.

Paul had already fished his phone from his pockets and was sending a message to Jacob as they hurried to the room they'd only just left. Paul nearly growled when he saw Carlisle Cullen in her room.

"You were **told** not to come **in** here, _Cullen_!" He seethed, taking notice of the nurse trying to calm her down as well.

Carlisle smiled politely. "Forgive me, I was only coming to see that she was alright."

"You've seen her, she's fine. Now **leave**. Her family doesn't want you to treat her, they made that well known." Seth growled.

The nurse eyed them warily. "Should I call security, doctor Cullen?"

"No, they are more than right. Her family has asked that I not treat her. A misunderstanding of sorts between my family and the tribe." He explained. "They're well within their rights to tell me as such." He added after Paul snorted.

The nurse frowned. "She's Quileute? But… her last name is Swan… she's white…"

"What does the color of her skin have to do with who her family is?! You trying to imply something?! Well fuck you too, princess. Stupid pale face! You're all the same. So damn prejudice. Take your head out of your ass for a minute and realize that skin color plays not part in what makes up a family!" Paul spat.

Bella shivered at the harsh tone in his voice. She'd woken up to see Carlisle standing over her- checking her vitals- he had said. He looked so much like the demon who had been hunting her that she had panicked. She hadn't stopped shaking since.

"Paul… come on… we're scaring Bella…"

So that was Paul.

He had called her family. Did that mean they were related? She hoped he wasn't always that angry. Angry men led to short tempers. Short tempers led to thrown punches. And more times than not, Bella was the target. She sniffed and shook in fear at the prospect of meeting one of his fists. He was a lot more bulky than the men she'd met in Arizona.

"_Leave_. Cullen." Paul growled again.

Seth patted Paul's back again, waiting patiently for the volatile wolf to relax before stepping towards Bella. She whimpered and shied away from him as well. He cringed. Paul moved to step towards her and again she shied away as much as possible. They both frowned. This wasn't good.

"Ok… lets… let's do this… ok? I'm going to take these," He said pointing to the two chairs beside her bed, "And I'm going to move them…. Here." He said pointing to a spot by the bathroom door. "Ok?"

Bella swallowed thickly and closed her eyes tight when he moved closer. Paul watched her intently the entire time. She looked so afraid. So… helpless. His wolf whined to him. 'Sister.'

Paul couldn't agree more.

He smiled and patted Seth on the shoulder. "It's ok, Bella. You can look if you want." He said once they were both sitting down.

Her lip wobbled as she opened her eyes, looked quickly and then darted away from their gazes again just as quickly. Seth frowned. He wasn't angry with her. He felt bad that she'd been harmed so badly she couldn't even look either of them in the eye.

"So uh… I guess we should introduce ourselves…" Seth said, trying to ease some of the tension. His wolf was whining inside of his head that the poor girl needed to be held. The almost overwhelming urge to touch her was hard to fight, but Seth's will was iron at the moment. He'd give her time to settle first before moving closer.

Paul looked to have the same predicament as he clenched the arm rests of the chair he was sitting in. "I'm uh… my name's Paul. I'm a friend of your cousins…"

Bella frowned in confusion. He'd said he was family too… now he was only a friend. Men made no sense. Or maybe she was reading too far into things. Friends could be family too- so she'd heard at least.

"I'm Seth… I'm a friend of your cousin's too.." He said with a smile.

Bella gave them a weak smile but refused to look at them for very long. It nearly brought tears to Seth's eyes. They sighed in relief when a knock on the door revealed Sarah walking in with a smile and kind eyes that instantly put Bella at ease.

"Oh sweetie… it's been so long since I've seen you. You've grown so much." She cooed.

Bella took a deep breath. "Hi aunt Sarah."

"So you do remember." She smiled.

"A little." She admitted sheepishly.

Sarah approached her slowly. "It's ok if you don't. You were three years old the last time we saw each other." She grinned. "Can I sit down?"

"O-ok.." Bella answered swallowing.

Sarah nodded. "Boys… why don't you go get something to eat now. I'll stay with her. Don't worry Bella. You're safe."

She seemed so sincere. Bella didn't refute the statement. She really wanted to believe it. If only the demons in her mind would allow her to. She just wanted somewhere safe to call her own.


	7. 06

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Chapter 6

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Jacob sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. His mother had taken a near permanent watch over Bella each night since she'd first woken up. She'd made quick work gaining the girls short term trust- at least enough that Bella didn't cringe or grimace when Sarah held her hand anymore. Any progress was still progress to the older woman. Now that the doctors deemed her safe to travel, Bella was being released into the care of her family. That meant the house needed to be cleaned.

A knock on the door was all the warning Jacob received before the pack- minus Seth, Paul and Jared- piled in through the door. They arched eyebrows before he explained that Bella would be coming home soon, so the house was getting a deep clean. It was all the explanation they needed before they pitched in to help. Even Leah offered her help without the usual bite in her words.

Billy only smiled. The house was by no means a pig sty- Sarah would never let it become one. However, any work done now meant less work for his Sarah. Less work for her lade her happy. When she was happy everyone in the Black household breathed easy. The woman may have been small in stature, but her temper rivaled that of a wolf when tested.

"Hey, dad, it's finished." Jacob chirped half an hour later. "Should I tell mom? We're going to see her and Bella in the hospital." He added nodding his head to Sam, Embry and Quil. "The others left already."

Billy shook his head. "Let it be a surprise. Tell her I'll be by soon. I have a council meeting to see to."

"Sure, sure."

"So… do you think she'll freak out like the last time?" Sam wondered.

"I hope not. Who knew she could scream that loud?" Embry whined.

Quil merely shuddered. They'd gone to see her the day after she woke up. Quil had been sitting too close to her and she'd screamed until Seth had come in and taken her hand. They'd all gotten to witness what Paul had been trying to explain after that. She'd calmed instantly, though she still refused to look at him.

Before he could reply, Jacob's phone chirped to life with an oncoming text. His blood boiled when he read it. His phone was dropped and forgotten on the ground as he phased and tore off through the trees. His mother had visitors. Sam only groaned and pocketed the phone hurrying to phase and chase the angry wolf down.

The last thing they needed was to cause a scene.

Quil doubled back, grabbed a set of clothes and a bag, phased and took off after his brothers. He snorted when he reached them at the tree line to the hospital. Jacob was being restrained tightly by Sam and Embry. The second his clothes were dropped at his feet, the wolf calmed long enough to shift back to his human skin and change. The second the clothes were on his body, the four were striding through the doors and directly into the elevator.

"_She needs proper care. She's his mate! I've seen it_!"

"It's the pixie!" Quil huffed. He hated her. She always reminded him of a fairy or a sprite without its wings.

The guard on duty glared at them as they made their way down the hall, forced to walk slowly and calmly due to the nurses and staff moving around on the floor.

Sarah scoffed. "She needs to be around you like I need a hole in the head. You two need to leave. Now." She warned.

"Damn, Jake. Momma Sarah doesn't play!" Embry snickered. He'd been calling her that since he was six years old. Sarah would have it no other way.

Jacob grinned. "That's my mom."

Embry glared from the doorway. "And here I thought housekeeping took the garbage out already."

"Apparently not. Seems we should remedy the issue. Ah, ah." Quil warned when he saw one of them pulling their phone out of their pocket. "No need to call housekeeping and complain. I'm happy to help them out myself." He threatened subtly.

"I say a formal complaint should be lodged with the director. The hospital seems to be _infested_ with ticks." Jacob sneered walking in. he stood protectively in front of his mom and Bella, glaring at the two vampires in the room.

Sam prowled in quietly. He wore a displeased frown on his face and stared at the two with his arms crossed over his chest. Nothing was said, but they both stared at him. Sam only smirked.

"You're staring, dog."

"Edward! Don't cause trouble."

"Hush, Alice. They won't do anything. Not with Bella and Sarah in the room."

"You're spitting, tick. Isn't that a sign of sickness?" Embry quipped.

Edward glared and moved to stand in front of Embry. Bella whimpered causing him to quickly back away. He didn't need to scare her. He was already afraid she'd see him as a monster. Little did he know, that's exactly what she thought.

Jacob had had enough. "You're _not_ supposed to be here, Cullen. My family is off limits to you."

Bella was terrified, yet amazed. She'd never had anyone fight **for** her before. She didn't know how to handle this. It was something completely new to her, and while she was terrified of what might happen, she wanted to see how it would end.

Alice scoffed. "We've had a claim on her since her birth! You're not her family. We are!"

Sam growled out his own warning, sending Bella's heart racing. "Just leave!"

"I'll leave if she wishes it. I have to abide by her wishes." Edward told them.

Bella cringed away from his gaze. She couldn't say anything other than, "please."

Alice smirked. "See, she wants us here."

Quil scoffed but didn't say anything else. He was amazed that a doctor or nurse hadn't come in yet to see what was going on. However, he mused that they weren't causing a scene yet. He only shrugged, intent on defending his brothers, Sarah and Bella if something **were** to happen.

Sarah had had enough. She may have been a mere human, but she was also the mother of a wolf. "I have had _enough_ if you do not leave **now** I'll be forced to call security and have you escorted out by them. This is doing **nothing** but upsetting Bella. I'll not have her scared." She sneered looking directly at Edward.

"As for you, _imp_, understand that you have no claim at all over Bella. The boys do. Their blood is the same as hers. Your so called _claim_ is nothing more than a delusional fantasy that you've seen in your head. Over my dead _body_ will I see her placed into your care." Sarah hissed.

"You need to leave. As per the agreement between your father and mine, you are in a direct violation of the treaty between your family and my tribe. You know what that means." Jacob gave them a feral grin that was mirrored by the other wolves in the room.

A tear slid down Bella's cheek. She'd seen those grins before. Painful memories flew to the forefront of her mind. She was terrified again and remained so even after the two strangers were gone. She was amazed that it had taken place all in the space of five minutes. It seemed to last for hours. Or maybe that was just the demons in her mind playing games with her head.

Jacob sighed. "I'm sorry, Bells. I didn't mean to scare you."

"None of us did." Sam added. Embry and Quil just offered Sarah weak smiles.

Bella's eyes snapped open. She didn't even know she'd clenched them shut. "W-what did you call me?"

"Bells?" Quil tried. He frowned when Embry hit his arm.

Bella looked at Sarah shyly. "M-my dad…"

"It was his nickname for you. My Jake and his Bells." Sarah offered with a small grin.

"Jake and Bells." She whispered.

It was such a far off memory, it almost seemed like a dream to her. Some small sliver of a different life- one without anything bad or evil.

Jacob's smile was small but friendly. "Jake and Bells." He answered. He wanted to wrap her into a bear hug, but thought better of it. She'd had a lot happen in the short space of the last twenty minutes that they'd been there. He settled for a pat on her shin that she tried not to cringe away from.

"Can we sit down?" Sam asked her.

Bella looked to Sarah for reassurance.

"Don't worry Bella. These boys are your family. They'll protect you with their lives if need be. You never need to be afraid of them."

Bella sighed. She'd have to let go of the demons haunting her past. She just didn't see how she could ever trust a man to not hurt her again. It amazed her that she so easily trusted Sarah. She'd not seen the woman since she was three, and yet, somehow, she was completely at ease around her.

"Don't worry, Bella. It'll get easier. We're not so bad." Jacob said with a smile.

She nodded shyly but refrained from talking. She'd have to learn to let go and trust that things were going to be different now.


	8. 07

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Chapter 7

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Another week had gone by and Sarah had finally gotten Bella somewhat used to her new bedroom. She could at least sleep in the same bed with Billy at night again. Bella had clung to her each and every night since being discharged from the hospital. She'd cried and apologized and cried again and it had nearly broken Sarah's heart to see, much less to hear. Her poor, sweet niece was hurting and all she could do was wrap her in a gentle embrace, hum a lullaby or two and wait for the poor girl to cry herself to sleep.

Billy found Sarah at the kitchen counter making food for Jacob and the boys. The pack was coming over for a meeting with the elders. Since they'd found out the Cullen's were trying to lay claim to Bella, they'd been itching for a fight. It was all Sam and Jacob could do to keep them from tearing across the treaty line after the animated corpses.

"How is she?"

Billy shook his head. He'd never understand how she knew when someone was behind her. "She's… ok, for now. Jacob is with her… she moved to the arm chair to keep as much distance between them as possible."

Sarah smiled then. "It'll take time, Billy. She's been deeply hurt- I think more so than what she's letting on. She won't even tell me about it. She'll let me hold her, and comfort her… she almost craves it… but she won't tell me much."

Bella's whimpers from the living room drew their attention from the conversation at hand. Jacob looked panicked. Bella was curled up, her legs under her, still asleep. Her dreams had turned again into a nightmare as the blonde haired, fair skinned demon with red eyes chased her from state to state.

Sarah knelt in front of her, quietly shushing her. She spoke in gentle, soothing tones, crooning an old lullaby that she'd always sung to Jacob and his sisters when they'd have a nightmare, while her hand gently stroked her hair. Her heart was breaking for her niece, but her voice remained strong. She sighed in relief when Bella's whimpers subsided.

"What's wrong with her mom?" Jacob asked.

Sarah stood and smiled while Billy patted his shoulder. "I talked to Sue about it. She said Bella is possibly suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. She's coping as best she can, but she's suffering. I'm not entirely sure."

"How can we help?" Billy sighed.

"We're there for her. We let her come to us, in her own time, and we show her that we're nothing like the monster she grew up with. Sue told me she'll probably thrive in some place stable and quiet for the first few months. I've already talked to the principle and I'll have her home schooled. She'll be able to stay here with me during the day and slowly but surely she can go out on her own." Sarah said gently.

"Should I tell the guys to come one or two at a time instead of all at once then?" Jacob wondered.

Billy smiled. "That sounds like a good idea. She seems to like Seth and Paul… why not have them here first?"

Jacob nodded and sent a text to each of the pack. He then sent a text to Seth and Paul asking them to come first, just in case Bella woke up before Jacob had a chance to warn her. "Hey… what if Leah came to sit with her during the day too?"

"Are you sure about that?" Billy asked cautiously.

"Not really… but… she does ok with mom. Maybe having another girl her own age around would help her too." Jacob reasoned.

Sarah smiled. "She'll have to clear it with Sam and the other elders, but I'm sure we can work something out."

Jacob nodded. "Sure, sure."

Billy and Sarah left Jacob to guard over Bella while she slept. He grimaced when she occasionally whimpered or cried out softly. He all but sighed in relieve when Paul arrived. He'd never admit it out loud, but Jacob was almost glad to see the near constant temperamental silver furred wolf. Maybe Bella could help him as much- if not more than- he could help her.

"How's she doing?" Paul asked quietly.

Jacob sighed and shrugged. "I honestly don't know. She's been having these really bad nightmares… like any time she falls asleep. She mumbles stuff like 'please' and 'don't hurt them' or 'just leave me alone'… and then there's the things like 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean it' or 'please don't, I'll be better.' It's enough to make me want to punch something."

Paul grimaced. He remembered those days. Before his wolf had come to him, his dad would take great pleasure in finding ways to beat him black and blue. Of course, he'd rather it have been him than his mother. Once he was able to take it, he'd told his dad he'd never touch either one of them again. Unfortunately for Bella, she wasn't a wolf. Fortunately, however, her mother wouldn't be able to harm her again.

"Who's been staying with her?" Paul finally asked.

"My mom was. She only just started sleeping in her own bed again. The first week home Bella didn't want my mom to leave her. She couldn't sleep without her." Jacob sighed.

"That's normal." Paul said sadly.

Little did they know, Bella had woken up and was listening to the conversation. The sadness in Paul's voice called to her. It was almost like he knew what she'd been through. The same way Courtney had known about her.

_ "How'd you know my mom hit me, Courtney?"_

_ "It takes one to know one, Bella. My dad gets mad sometimes… I try to stay out of his way unless my mom or little sister is home. If they're there, I make him hit me."_

_ "But… he could really hurt you! I've seen your dad! He's huge!"_

_ "I'll always take a hit if it means keeping my family safe. Just… Bella… your mom isn't right. You're not nothing. You don't deserve what she's doing to you… and… you'll get away one day. I promise you. Things will get better."_

_ "I hope so. You're the only one who really knows what it's like."_

_ "I'm not the only one. Some people are just better at hiding it. You can always tell though. Something about the eyes. It's always the eyes. You just have to find the courage to really look at people again."_

"It shouldn't be though! This isn't normal Paul! What happened to her _isn't_ normal!" Jacob growled.

Bella started shaking in fear, not able to pretend she was asleep any longer. Paul noticed it and took her hand gently in his. "It's ok, Bella. You're ok. No one is gonna hurt you, ok?"

Jacob sighed and dropped to sit in front of her, making himself as low as his wolf would allow. Even Paul had dropped to the ground. It was how Seth found them when he walked through the front door. His eyebrow arched until he saw the tears in Bella's eyes.

"Is everything ok?" Seth wondered.

Paul sighed. "Bella… are you ok?"

She blinked in confusion. Why was he asking her? No one had ever bothered to ask her if she was alright before. She was normally used as a punching bag first before being walked away from. She glanced up for longer than a minute to really study him. She admitted that he was good looking: tall, tan, lean and muscled in all the right places. But it was his eyes that drew her in.

_ You can always tell though. Something about the eyes. It's always the eyes. _

Bella gasped and stared at him. His smile was sad as he stared back, blinking slowly. He could only guess what she'd just realized for herself. His eyes held a kind of quiet pain that she could relate with all too well.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Jacob I need to talk to you. Outside. Now." Paul nearly growled the last part. He was going to have a talk with the pup about his temper around her- beta or not.

Bella gulped and tensed, waiting for someone else to yell. She diverted her eyes from both Jacob and Seth, too afraid to look them in the eye until the tension was gone from the room. She'd learned so much from looking at Paul already. Jacob was her cousin. Her family. Renee had kept her from him for her whole life almost. There were distant memories of him when they were babies, but they seemed so far away sometimes- just fond memories of a life that she'd never really known.

Seth was a whole other story. She didn't flinch when he sat in front of her. She didn't try to back away. He was so unassuming. So trusting of her. She only jumped when she felt his hand slide into hers. When she frowned, he took his hand away, and with it, the warmth she'd come to recognize as his.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable, Bella. Jake told us a little about what happened… what little he knew anyways… I'm really sorry."

Bella sighed and lightly squeezed his hand. She'd not spoken much to anyone but Sarah. They'd gotten one or two word answers from her since she'd woken up in the hospital where Sarah had gotten one or two sentences. But there was just something about Seth.

She smiled lightly and shyly turned his hand over, examining his palm. Courtney had taught her a little about how to read them. She traced each line gently with the tip of her index finger, pausing only to slightly cup his hand in an effort to better read the lines there. She couldn't help but think that, save for the long curved life line he sported, their palm lines were similar.

"Do you know how to read palms?" Seth tried to coax her into talking to him.

"A little bit. Courtney taught me." She murmured.

He grinned. "That's an improvement. I got three words out of you that time." He teased lightly.

She blushed and hid her face behind a curtain of hair. Shock washed over her not a minute later when she felt Seth gently tucking said curtain of hair behind her ear. The bruises were still there, fading more each day, and without her hair to hide them, she inhaled sharply. No matter how gentle his touch was, she couldn't let her guard down. Regardless of how much she may have wanted to. Letting her guard down meant getting hurt.

What was she supposed to do now? Her eyes were still trained on his palm, resting lightly in her lap. She sighed and tried to think of some way to leave without seeming rude. There would be less attention that way.

_ You just have to find the courage to really look at people again._

She stiffened. Since when did she start hearing Courtney's voice outside of her memories?

"Bella?"

Seth started to slowly slide his hand from hers, thinking that maybe she was past her limit for contact. He wasn't prepared for her to grab a hold of him, holding his hand in her lap. He listened to her heart rate speeding up, trying to figure out what it was she was so afraid of. His wolf was on edge, checking the room for any sign of a threat towards the little female in front of him.

Bella swallowed and slowly raised her eyes. She got as high as his neck before her eyes closed. She never saw it when Jacob and Paul came back in the room, both smiling and talking with Quil and Embry. With a sigh, she opened her eyes again and tried to look him in the eyes.

Seth smiled and waited for her to meet his gaze, completely patient. Seth nearly sighed in agitation, the wolf in him restless to be sitting still for so long, but he as the man was willing to sit through the discomfort of a foot that was falling asleep and a leg that was only just starting to cramp up if it meant Bella was kept calm.

Jacob, Paul, Quil and Embry watched in quiet shock as Bella finally raised her eyes to stare into those of the wolf in front of her. They each sucked in a sharp breath as they watched Seth's world turning on its axis. The only one of any kind of importance anymore was her. The only one worth giving his life for anymore, was her. The only one worthy of his heart- his love- anymore, was her.

The moment was broken by Sam, Leah and Jared walking in. They waited for someone to tell them what had happened, at least until they saw how close Seth was sitting to Bella, and after that, the way they were staring at each other.

"What just happened?" Sam whispered to Jacob.

Paul smiled. "Bella found another person to rely on."


	9. 08

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Chapter 8

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"How's Seth?" Jacob asked Leah when they met for their scheduled patrol not three hours after he'd imprinted.

Leah huffed in clear amusement. "Still hiding from you and Billy. He wants to strangle Paul still, though. I'm with Seth… I don't understand why they're so close… they've got some kind of weird bond forming… Seth feels threatened by it I guess."

Jacob sighed. "I'm not going to hurt him… much at least. And Paul… I know why he's like he is with her. Let's just keep it at that."

"I wish I could understand it better." Leah admitted. "Then I could tell Seth."

"We all do I think." Jacob sighed.

"She trusts him well enough… I wonder how she knew about his past. From what you have told me she doesn't talk much to anyone but him or your mom." Leah wasn't the only curious one, but Jacob's only response was a huff before they each veered off down a different path.

They'd worry about it later.

(~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~)

Seth sighed and threw another pebble into the ocean. He had already lost count of how many had been lost to the murky water. His ears picked up the heavy footsteps slowly approaching at his back, but he didn't feel the need to turn around. His sensitive nose had already determined who it was. While the wolf in him growled, the human in him remained in control. He took his aggression out on the pebbles instead, throwing another one into the endless waves.

"Your control is excellent, you know."

Seth smiled. "I had an excellent teacher."

"Don't kiss ass. It's unbecoming of a wolf." Paul teased.

Seth couldn't help the burst of laughter that escaped from his lips. "Your jaw seems better." He quipped dryly. He shook his head and sighed not a minute later. "Sorry, that was wrong."

"Don't apologize. I would have done the same thing, if not more." Paul mused with a shrug.

They both took a seat on the sand, each of them agreeing to let the silence surround them. Seth's wolf was still slightly miffed with the older one beside him, but he knew nothing warranted another punch to his mentor's jaw. He had a feeling if he so much as tried it, this time Paul would retaliate. And if that happened, Seth knew it would take a lot more than 'I'm sorry' to calm the volatile beast the resided in the older boys body.

"I don't know why my wolf is so protective of her…" Paul finally admitted. "It's nothing romantic at all… it's… it never was romantic… he just knew.. That first time we saw her… she's…"

"She's family." Seth offered.

Paul nodded, his eyes trained on the ocean waves. "She reminds me of my mom… that look of fear she has in her eyes… I saw it every day when I was a kid."

Seth studied the older wolf, completely in awe of the raw emotion he saw open to him in his eyes. He was too afraid to ask what had happened to Paul growing up. He was younger by a few years and he ran in different circles than the older boy. Leah knew some- only what she'd overheard from the council when she'd stay up late at night eavesdropping.

When he'd been paired with Paul after his first change, Sam had warned him not to pity himself. Even after learning his dad was in the hospital. Paul didn't take kindly to pity of any kind which had prompted Seth to ask why. Sam had told him Paul had had a rough time growing up but little else. Jared had then told him Paul had raised himself while taking care of his mother. Nothing prepared him for the brief glimpse of just how haunted Paul was by his childhood- or lack there of.

"Paul…."

Paul sighed. "Hn?"

Seth must have sensed how close to the surface Paul's wolf was. He dropped the topic then and there before he even started it. He didn't want to be the cause for a rogue wolf. Sam would skin him alive, regardless of the fact that he was the kid brother of the only girl Sam had ever loved. His eyes trained, instead, on the older wolf's tightly balled fists.

"It's been a long time, huh." It was a general enough sentence, but Paul knew exactly what Seth meant. It had been a long time since someone new showed they cared.

Paul sighed. "Seems that way."

"Could you… do you think that she'd talk to you… about what happened?" Seth wondered. "You seem to have caught her attention." He tried not to make it sound bitter.

Paul sighed. "If you want me to, I will. I don't see her that way, Seth. I never will. She's a sister to me… to my wolf."

"I know… I know… doesn't mean the wolf likes it. He doesn't even like that Jacob is in the same house with her, and that's her cousin! He's…."

"He's what?" Paul was amused and it rang clear in his voice.

"He's driving me crazy!" Seth growled. "He's constantly there!"

Paul nodded. "I know the feeling… you just have to quell it."

"How… I hear him clear as day sometimes…"

Paul smirked. "Just means he's stronger willed than some of the other guys. Sam told me once he has full arguments with his. All in his head, but… it's still kind of funny."

Yeah. He had to admit that was kind of funny. "Do the other guys do that too? Hear their wolves?"

Paul shrugged. "Some of us. I hear mine constantly too… it just means you're really in tune with yours. It's a blessing and a curse. You said you heard him when you first saw Bella. What'd he say?"

"He said to touch her hand to calm her down. Protect her."

"The wolf knew she was meant for him… it's probably why your touch soothed her so easily."

"So what does that say about yours?" Seth wondered.

"My wolf called her a sister. Probably because I talked to Jacob and I know she was beaten. He sees the same thing happened to her that I went through."

Seth finally relaxed. He finally understood. "I'm sorry Paul. I just…"

Paul waved him off. "Don't sweat it. I told you… I'd probably have done the same thing… if not worse. I kind of have a bad temper."

"Kind of?" Seth asked with a raised eyebrow.

Paul only shrugged. "I'll talk to Bella this weekend. I want to give her some time with-"

A howl tore through the silence of the beach. It was quickly answered by another and another, until all but Paul and Seth had answered. They shared a look before their shorts were stripped and the wolves had taken over their minds. A cacophony of angry shouts and vivid insults were being slung around when they entered into the pack mind. All of it was focused on the group standing at the treaty line.

_ "What the __**fuck**__ is going on?!"_ Paul snarled as he and Seth raced towards the rest of the pack.

_ "They charged the line. Coppertop and pixie said we were holding Bella hostage. She can't see Bella's future anymore so that means she's being held against her will now."_ Jared growled.

_ "Seth, Leah, I need you two to go sit with Bella. Tell her everything is ok if she asks and I'll be back soon?"_ Jacob asked.

As soon as they were gone, the wolves faced the Cullen's as humans, none of them bothering to dress as they stood with their arms crossed over their chests. Edward only rolled his eyes. Alice sneered in mild disgust while the others- Blondie as Jacob called Rosalie, and her mate Emmett as well as the pixie's mate- Jasper-, eyed the wolves in mild interest.

Carlisle sighed. "It seems apologies are in order… I understand that Alice and Edward stepped onto tribal land… I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding on their part."

Quil spat on the ground. "Tell that to Leah. She was nearly bit… WOULD have been if not for Embry and Jacob tearing the wingless pixie off of her in time."

Alice hissed. "She attacked me first!"

** "You were on our land! By rights I could burn you alive, leech!"** Sam's voice boomed over the angry snarling and hissing causing everything to go still. Not even the wolves had heard that level of ire in their alpha's tone before.

"Surely you don't mean to exact punishment…" Esme asked, her voice small. She was a mother to them all, even if she hadn't birthed or created them.

Paul put a hand on Sam's shoulder and looked him in the eye. It was normally a stupid thing to do, but Paul knew Sam needed to know he was still human at the moment. His wolf was entirely too close to the surface. Jared was quick to follow Paul's lead, comforting his friend and alpha with his touch.

Sam released a deep sigh. "This is your one free pass. One of my wolves was attacked by one of your coven mates, Cullen. **Two** of yours crossed the treaty line tonight. If it happens again, I **will **exact punishment."

"I understand. Is there anyway we could just see Bella. They're very worried about her. Edward is beside himself… Alice has seen her changed soon and we should-"

"**Bella Swan is no longer your concern. She's part of the pack now. And that is the way it will stay.**" Sam growled.

Edward frowned. He'd been trying since the wolves arrived to glean information from their minds. He'd failed miserably each time. His eyes narrowed on Paul, who was smirking. So they did know. How could he have been foolish enough to think they'd let anything slide. These wolves even sent their newest wolves away before they phased back. He huffed.

"Just as a gesture of good faith… we have some cousins from Alaska coming. Alice has seen one of them meeting their mate here in Forks in two weeks. A nomad… he'll be here with two friends." Carlisle said.

"Great… even more vampires to watch out for." Quil growled.

Jacob and Embry patted his back. They couldn't agree more.

When the Cullen's had gone, the pack shifted and headed for Jacob's house. The elders had to be informed. Who better to start with than the chief of the tribe.


	10. 09

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Chapter 9

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Billy sighed and watched out of the corner of his eye as Bella paused in the doorway to the living room. School had finally started back for most of the pack, leaving Bella and Sarah alone during the day. She had opened up a little more and didn't tense nearly as much when Sarah walked into a room. He, however, was a different story. He had to wonder if she'd ever trust him.

Bella bit her lip and studied her uncle. She had vague memories of his kind face staring down at her- helping her up when she'd fall over, or laughing when she did something silly. The more she thought about the quiet man in front of her, the more she found her reasons to keep him at arms length were few and far between- the same with her cousin and his friends.

They'd been nothing but patient with her since she'd come to live with her.

With a sigh and a small nod of her head, Bella walked into the living room and took a seat, perched on the edge of the couch, surprisingly close to Billy. She tensed when he gave a small smile before relaxing when he turned his attention back to the game he'd been watching. She finally pulled her notebook and text book from the bag she'd previously stored them in and curled her feet under her, seemingly content to study in his presence.

It wasn't until she was having trouble understanding something that she chanced another look at him. She briefly chastised herself for wondering how much trouble she'd be in for asking his help. This wasn't Arizona. He wasn't like her mother had been.

"Uncle Billy?" Her voice was small and Billy's heart broke when he heard it. He hated hearing her so broken.

"Did you need something Bella?"

She offered him a half smile then showed him the problem. She was lucky he was good with numbers. "May I?" He asked, gesturing to the space between them.

Sarah watched from the doorway with a small smile on her face. It was still there when she answered the phone. The smile slid from her lips, however, when she heard her sister in law's sigh of worry. Her son, Collin, was sick with a high fever, body aches and had a horrendous temper because of it. What was worse was the fact that she and her husband, Kevin, had to leave to see his family for a few days to the Makah. His sister wasn't doing so well and they were going to help her get settled.

"Connie… how long has he been sick like this?" Sarah wondered with a frown on her face.

"Only two or three days now. He says he's fine, but the boy is boiling hot to the touch. I thought he was actually going to punch Kevin when he was ordered back to bed earlier. And he's getting taller now too, he may just have the advantage soon." Connie sighed. "I don't want to disappoint Kevin, but I think I'm going to stay home with him this weekend."

"No! No… Connie, bring him here. I'll take care of him."

"Sarah, I can't ask that of you. You have Bella there now… Collin said Jacob was really tight lipped about it when he asked about her. He only said Jacob told him her mother was a monster not fit for the darkest pit of hell- in those exact words." Connie supplied.

Sarah chuckled. "That sounds like Jake. But he's right. She's getting better though. And as long as it's not just sprung on her I'm sure she'll do just fine. You know Kevin stresses without you to calm him."

"The way Billy does without you?" Connie teased.

"So, Friday, bring him over if he's not feeling better." Sarah instructed. "That will give me a chance to get Bella used to the idea of you three popping into the house."

"The poor soul. She's lucky to have you in her corner Sarah."

"She's lucky she has Billy too… and a family she can run to." Sarah reminded her.

Connie sighed. "It took me forever to forgive our dad. I was blinded by my mother's hatred for what he'd done. I never got a chance to tell Charlie it wasn't his fault."

"All she needs is family." Sarah told her gently yet firmly. "I have to go. The boys will be home from school soon. Bella still isn't quite used to the chaos of it yet. She hides in her room until they get settled."

Connie chuckled. "Alright. I'll be sure to let you know. Thank you again."

Sarah grinned and hung the phone up. She poked her head into the living room and nearly cried at the sight. Bella's homework had been forgotten in favor of old photo albums and Bella was listening raptly to the vivid stories Billy painted in her mind. Charlie starred in most of them, causing a grin to spread across Bella's lips as she stored the images in her mind.

"Well… what's this then?" She teased.

"We decided homework was boring! Didn't we, Bella?" Billy grinned at his wife and niece. He nudged Bella gently to let her know it was ok.

Sarah chuckled and picked up one of the albums. "I remember this one… you and Jacob couldn't have been but five and four, respectively. That was… a month before you left us. Charlie had asked me to watch you after school." She said sitting down to show Bella the picture.

She and Jacob were standing in the kitchen with bowls and pots overturned, a mess of flour and eggs around them and in their hair. Both of them were brandishing wooden spoons, fighting over a laughing Sarah, while in the background a startled looking Leah and Seth watched the chaos unfolding.

"Sue had come over to see me about something- I really can't remember now. You and Jake decided to play soldiers. I became the princess to be saved and you, my sweet girl, rescued me!"

Bella couldn't help the frown that spread across her lips. "I wish I could remember it…" She murmured guilty that she couldn't.

Sarah knelt in front of her and gently took her hands in her own. "Never feel ashamed for what has happened to you. It wasn't your fault! Those memories are there, they're only buried. It'll take time, but you'll remember." She promised.

"Bella… do you want to go to your room until things settle down? The boys are going to be home soon." Billy reminded her gently.

Bella sighed. She looked between Billy and Sarah- two people who had showed her every day for the last three weeks since she'd been in their home that she was safe- and shook her head. "C-can you stay here. I mean… here.. W-with me?"

Sarah looked away to hide her tears. They were happy ones, but she still didn't want to startle Bella. "Of course. I wanted to talk to you as well. Billy's sister- your aunt Connie- and her husband, Kevin, have to go away for the weekend.. Their son, Collin is a little under the weather right now… he'll be here if he's not feeling better…"

Bella bit her lip. "O-okay…"

Billy and Sarah had a moment to share over the top of Bella's head before the silence was broken by loud whooping, laughing and all around ruckus. Bella tensed and grabbed Billy's hand tightly in her own. She took a deep breath and relaxed, trying to push past the panic. She knew these people. She was safe.

A glared leveled their way froze not only Jacob, but Embry, Quil and Seth in their tracks. If Bella had been looking up she would have been thrown into a fit of giggles. Instead, she was busy keeping her eyes trained on her notebook in front of her, her pencil tracing out random designs on a blank page.

Seth smiled when he saw her. She was actually out of her room. He nudged Jacob, Quil and Embry and nodded in her direction. Jacob sighed and turned sheepishly to his mom. Sarah, for her part, only rolled her eyes. Bella had never seen four boys sit in the living room and start their homework so fast. Billy only shook his head. Sarah was actually very scary when it was deemed necessary.

Jacob's attention was pulled from his homework not an hour later by a knock on the door. He stood and stretched before going to see who it was. He frowned when he saw a few of the girls from his history class. Lily, Nicole and Arianne. They giggled when they saw him.

"Did you forget about the project, Jake?" Lily asked.

He inwardly groaned. "Yeah, I kind of did. But we only just got it yesterday… we've got a whole month to get it done. I've got some friends over right now to do homework…" He really hated being rude.

Nicole frowned. "Well can't we do our homework here too?"

"Yeah, we've got our bags and stuff." Arianne pouted.

Jacob sighed. "It's just really not a good time."

Lily huffed. "It's almost like you don't want us here."

"Because he really doesn't" Quil muttered darkly. He always hated how those three in particular had always thrown themselves at the guys around school. They were female versions of Paul, just not as careful.

Bella frowned as she listened to Jacob begging off their project for next week. She felt a hand slip into hers and looked up to see Seth smile down at her. She looked down and watched him lace their fingers together loosely and had to push down the urge to run from the room. She had to get over her fear that these people- her family and friends- were going to hurt her. Hadn't they proven already that they could be trusted?

Jacob smiled when they finally left and headed back into the living room. He saw just how badly Bella was shaking and frowned. "You ok, Bells?"

He wasn't really expecting her to answer. He'd only just gotten to the point where he could sit beside her without her scooting as far away as possible. "I'm ok… thank you…" She said giving him and the other wolves in the room a small smile each.

Jacob watched in avid fascination as Seth all but crawled to Bella's side after they all settled down. He nudged Embry and Quil and nodded towards the garage before quickly following behind them, leaving Bella and Seth alone to their homework.

"So is that the imprint letting him get that close to her or is it all Seth?" Quil wondered.

Jacob shrugged. "I think a lot of it has to do with Seth. He's really patient. Some small part might be the imprint, but he's always been really trusting by nature."

"Yeah… he's always been a good kid." Embry mused. "I wonder how long it'll take her to open up to him." He added.

"Ten bucks says she runs to Paul." Quil quipped. "What… I was talking about it with grandpa! He said people band together over similar hardships. It's why she knew right away something bad happened to him."

Embry shrugged. "Seth hasn't really had it too easy here lately either, you know."

"Not but both his parents love him. And he was never-" Jacob's abrupt stop caused the two to raise an eyebrow each in question.

"Sam?" Quil wondered.

"How come?" Embry asked when Jacob nodded.

Jacob sighed. "It was too bad for me to talk about without getting pissed and taking out half the damn forest with my bare hands." He only nodded when they whistled.

"You know… she may be getting better… but something tells me we're in for a really rough ride…" Quil mused.

"Yeah… I feel like we're missing something big." Jacob sighed.

"Because you are…" A tired voice announced from behind them.

Embry, Quil and Jacob whirled around to see Sam and Paul standing in the doorway. Both of them wore angry and concerned frowns. "I just sent Leah to relieve Jared. He told me something interesting…"

"What's going on Sam?" Jacob asked.

Sam rubbed his hands over his face and sighed deeply. "Jared overheard the pixie talking to momma fang by the treaty line. One of the vampires coming in a few days… while he's here he'll run into her…kill her if he has the chance… so she says she's seen."

Embry moved Quil out of the way just in time for Jacob's wolf to land hard on the ground. There hadn't even been any shouts of anger or pain. Just a seamless transformation and he was gone. Embry shook his head and left for patrol. He wasn't going to try and help Jacob at the moment. The boy was pissed and had a right to be.

Quil sighed. "I'll go get him." He said before taking off after his friend.

Sam sighed as well. "Come on. Let's go tell Billy. With any luck, we'll have a free pass to run the leeches out of town for this."

Paul couldn't help but agree. He poked his head into the living room and found Seth and Bella sitting side by side on the floor doing homework. He grinned when Seth looked up and waved before disappearing into the kitchen. He'd talk to her eventually… but for now… he'd let her have time with Seth. They both needed it.


	11. 10

Trigger warning... just sayin...

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Chapter 10

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Billy sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in a desperate attempt to relieve some of the stress he was feeling. He was at Harry's house, trying to give Bella and Sarah some peace while they worked on history and science. He'd always hated science and since she had to finish her homework before they could go find a tree, he'd come to pester his friend. His niece was making progress each and every day in terms of learning to trust her family and the rest of the pack. He just had to have faith and patience.

"What's wrong old man?" Harry finally wondered.

Billy tried to glare, but his friend knew him too well. He couldn't help but grin. "I'm frustrated. I want Bella to trust us. I want her to get better. I want her to know and accept Seth instead of him having to work so hard to even break through her high scaling walls. I'm happy… and sad. I want the Cullens to leave. Instead I'm getting phone calls near every day from the doctor. The mind reader swears we've kidnapped his mate…I just don't know what to do."

"It's not just your burden you know. We'll be related soon enough." Harry reminded him with a grin. "Either way you look at it, my kids are fond of the Black family."

Billy rolled his eyes. "Yes… I know." He sighed and shook his head, trying to contain his own grin.

It had been a shock to everyone when Seth had finally imprinted on Bella. They'd finally seen what Seth's wolf had known all along. But Leah… Billy sighed. The moment Leah and Collin had locked eyes, the girl was gone. Sam had nearly had a fit trying to get her to leave him. He'd still been an un-phased wolf at the time. And newly imprinted as she was- her mate was in pain and she was loath to leave him. He'd sprouted fur not three days later when he'd seen Paul and Sam shoving her- a staged event- on the beach.

It was a done deal for him after that. One look in her eyes and she was his whole life. His whole world even.

When Bella had seen Paul's eye later on after the confrontation, Billy had had to bite his knuckles to keep from laughing. The poor wolf had never had anyone fuss over him. Even his mom would quietly take her beatings and slink back to her room to tend to her wounds in silence. In her quiet, unassuming way, Bella had done it though. She'd given him a bag of ice wrapped in a towel and gently placed his hand to his face. She'd instructed him to keep it there for no less than ten to twenty minutes.

That she was so clinical about it, telling him how to keep the swelling down tore at his heart. It had torn at the packs hearts too. Not even Seth had it in him to tell Paul to back off from his girl. He wouldn't begrudge her a friend who understood things that he couldn't begin to fathom. He was relying on the silver furred wolf to help her.

"Speaking of.. Here come the hellions now." Harry sighed nodding towards the window.

Not ten seconds later, the back door was opened and Seth, Jared, Quil and Embry came waltzing in. Billy narrowed his eyes when they ran over the rag tag group.

"Where's Jacob and why aren't you with Paul and Sam, Jared?" Harry asked.

"Jake's patrolling. Sam asked him to switch with Leah. Collin is watching Brady and Paul is talking to Bella." Quil shrugged.

Harry blinked. "Is your wolf ok with another male around her Seth?" He asked. As an elder, this was indeed intriguing.

"I think so. I don't see Paul as a threat. My wolf doesn't either. He only wants to help. He knows what she's been through. He told me as much, and both my wolf and I believe him."

Jared sighed. "I just hope it helps. He's been talking to her for a couple months now and been coming up empty handed it seems."

"Not necessarily." Billy mused. "She's learning to trust those around her."

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

_ "Michael is taking me out to dinner. I'm going to be gone all night Bella. I don't want to see a spec of dirt when I get home. There's a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of water for you on the counter for dinner."_

_ Bella looked at the clock. Five at night and she was leaving already. Her dinner reservations weren't even until seven. She'd been left a list of chores to do- everything from dishes and laundry to scrubbing the tub and toilets. She also doubted __**Renee**__ had paid the electricity bill again. _

_ Ah.. Nope. Still unopened. _

_ Bella added that to the list of things to do as well. She'd go nuts if she had to sit in the dark and read by light of a flashlight or a candle again for a month. Not having water was just as bad._

_ She wondered sometimes if her keeper- she refused to call Renee her mother anymore- knew she'd taken her check book and register from her office desk. She couldn't have known. Bella would have been beaten black and blue. She thumbed through the rest of the mail and found more bills. Electricity, water, rent, phone and cable. She only frowned._

_ First thing was first. The check for the rent was written and flawlessly forged before Bella was off to the apartment complex's office. She told the office workers that her mom asked her to drop it off when she got home from her friends house because she'd forgotten to do it that morning. With her innocent face and sweet mannerisms, she'd been easily believed. _

_ Bella was amazed at how much she got away with at 15._

_ Back at home, she quickly wrote out the remaining checks, sealed them in their correct envelopes then balanced the check book. She frowned deeply. Fifty dollars. She sighed deeply and pulled her own check book out of her back pack. She'd have to pull from her own cash to buy food._

_ Again._

_ Luckily, she was able to forge Renee's signature. She'd asked Courtney's mother to take her to the bank and they'd opened an account for her with little hassle. She'd done the same thing when it was time to get her learners permit. Renee knew Bella had neither a bank account of her own, or the ability to drive a car- and well._

_ She was blessed for that._

_ With the bills paid, Bella wrote a list out for food and made quick work of her chores. She walked across the hall to her neighbor in 7C and knocked. A quick sob story about Renee working late and a few tears later saw Bella behind the wheel of her old babysitters car._

_ Twenty minutes in the store to grab what was needed and another fifteen minutes to get home saw Bella with nothing more to do. She pulled a worn book from her make shift shelf and settled on her mattress to read._

_ She didn't count on Renee coming home a while three hours after she'd left. Her date had taken ANOTHER woman home and Renee was livid. By the time Bella remembered she'd not eaten the 'offered' sandwich, she was receiving her first slap across the face._

"Bella?"

The living room came back into focus, along with Paul's concerned brown eyes. She tried to smile, but somehow she knew he knew it wasn't real. She refrained from flinching back when a cold wash cloth was held to her face. Up until that point, she'd not known she was crying.

"Wanna talk or listen?" It was a routine question anymore. She'd only just started talking. General things that he could tell the rag tag bunch of guys that were forever in and out of the Blacks' home.

"Listen?"

Paul nodded. "How old were you in that memory?"

That was another routine question now. A year for a year. That had been something Bella had said. One bad memory for another. The same year for each person. She sighed.

"15."

He nodded again. "I stole my first car when I was 15." He mused.

Bella's head shot up. She saw the hidden pain as he internally drug up the old memories. "Not for fun, was it?" She asked. She already knew the answer.

"He came home drunk. He was always drunk, but this time he came home mean too. The man reeked of sweat and alcohol and another woman's perfume… damn adulterating asshole. I wanted him stumble over to the couch… killed me to see my grandma's vase take a hit…the bottles he kept there were all empty." Paul's fists clenched.

Bella laid her hand on his, sharing that small comfort of touch. He was like a brother to her she didn't want to see him hurt. If she could help him, she would. The way he'd helped her.

The way Seth helped her.

"My mom took the wrong moment to come down the stairs. She thought it was me and I'd tripped. She just wanted to see if I was ok. He saw her and asked her where his alcohol was. She didn't know I'd poured it all out. She must have figured it out though.. She told him she'd done it…"

Bella mused that she would have done the same thing.

"But the time he passed out, we were both bruised. I took my neighbors car… I had to help her."

"What… what happened to your dad?"

He sighed. "Mom didn't press charges. She said it was just the alcohol talking. She swore he loved her. He just loved her money." He spat.

Bella knew that type. Renee had dated a few that she'd used only because they were well off. Bella was the target each time the men caught on and left her. She sighed. She had a new family now, but sometimes the memories left her so tired. So drained.

"Gonna tell me anything new?" He asked after a few minutes of quiet.

She shrugged. "What's next to tell?"

"Tell me who Courtney is? You've said her name a few times in your sleep…" He prodded. He'd asked a personal question, but the curiosity was killing him.

Bella sighed and picked her nails. "S-she was my best friend."

"Was?" Paul pushed gently.

Bella sighed. "We met in our freshman year, about a week after school started. She waltzed into my life. It took us a little while, but I found out her dad beat her… he uh…" She swallowed thickly.

"He what?" He prodded again.

"He killed her last year…" She said with tears in her eyes.

"Bella, I'm sorry." Paul grimaced in shame. He'd made her cry.

Seth was going to have his balls on a silver platter for that one to be sure.

"You know the worst part?"

Paul only waited. She was volunteering information for once. That had to be a step in the right direction didn't it?

"The worst part was the teachers and the school. They saw us bullied. They watched us walk in with bruises and cuts. Sometimes we'd have make up on so heavy we looked like hookers standing on a corner. They saw the tears in our eyes as we confided in each other. I told that girl EVERYTHING from Renee beating me to her boyfriends leering at me like a piece of meat on a hook.

I used to take such hot showers that I'd burn and blister my skin and it still wasn't enough to get their eyes off of me. Courtney was the only one who cared. She knew all there was to know about me and gave me hope. She pulled me back so many times from just…" she looked away and closed her eyes.

"From what, Bella?" Paul asked quietly.

"From ending everything. She made me promise no to leave. And then she was taken from me." Her voice was so broken. Paul was having a hard time keeping calm with the influx of information.

"She was pregnant."

"She was?"

"Her dad's friend raped her… or used her. Her dad sold her to him… said it'd teach her to stop being such a smart ass." She sniffed.

Paul gathered her to him all the while texting Seth. He never expected her to say so much. He didn't think she did either, but maybe his silence was what was keeping her going. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could help you."

"I did everything. I took care of the bills, I cleaned, I cooked, I worked, I stayed out of the way as best as I could… but it wasn't enough. My best friend was yanked away so easily. And now… I'm afraid again."

Paul leaned his cheek on the top of her head as he hugged her to him. "Of what?"

"I'm afraid I'm going to lose everything I have again. Aunt Sarah, uncle Billy and Jacob have been amazing. I have a family now… a real one…"

"They'd never hurt you, Bella. None of us would."

"I know… well, I hope so because I finally… I'm starting to… I…" she was finally running out of steam.

Paul heard the pack minus Jacob and Sam quietly entering the house. They didn't want to spook Bella. Especially when she was so emotionally exhausted. "You what, Bella?" He prodded again.

"I'm started to feel safe around you."

He grinned. "Just me?"

"You… Jacob… Seth- especially Seth." She sighed.

He nodded to Seth. "Hey, speak of the devil and he shall appear. Look who just walked in."

Seth grinned at Paul's ability to act. "Hey guys… is Jake here?"

"He's out with Collin. They went to… Bradley…Bentley…Brady's house? I think that's it anyways…" Bella answered quietly.

"Cool. They say anything about when they'd be back here?" Quil asked.

Bella smiled some. It was hard not to around the goofy boy. "Not that I remember. But you guys can wait here. If you want."

"You sure?" Jared checked.

She nodded again and made some more room for Seth to sit beside her. She waited a beat then moved into his arms. Something about him just felt right.

Seth nudged her when they'd all settled down. "You really sure?" He checked.

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and smiled shyly. "I think so."

It wasn't completely gone. But the darkness was receding. Seth's wolf had to agree with him. Of all his brothers, he'd trusted the right one to help their mate. So far, it was working.


	12. 11

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Chapter 11

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Bella sighed and stared at the numbers in her calculus book with disdain. She was seated at the kitchen table with her aunt while Sarah danced about the kitchen. It had been that way with them since she'd started home school. For the most part she was fine, but if she needed something, she didn't have to look very far to know that her aunt was right there.

She stopped glaring at the text book in favor of watching her aunt. Sarah's beauty astounded Bella. Her slim figure, her petite size, her long raven hair that hung straight down her back clear to her waist all, even her youthful face caught Bella's attention. It had from the very start. Her aunt Sarah made her feel even more inadequate when they were alone in the same room, even though she'd never admit it out loud. She had been working on getting better, but old habits died hard.

"Is everything ok Bella?" Sarah asked catching her staring.

Bella smiled. "Yeah, just… thinking I guess."

"Anything you want to talk about?" Sarah checked.

Bella's head shook and she diverted her eyes after a few minutes. She missed the smile that passed over Sarah's lips.

"You amaze me." Sarah said with a head shake and a soft smile.

Bella blinked in shock. "W-why? I'm not… I'm nothing special." She whispered.

"Oh you sweet girl! Of COURSE you are! You have come so far! And you're making progress every day. I know you don't see it, but I do. And I'm so very proud of you for it." She said sitting beside her.

Tears welled in Bella's eyes and before she knew it, she had fallen into Sarah's warm hug. The lullaby being hummed caught her attention as she fought to control her breathing again.

She knew that song!

"You used to sing that to Jacob and I when we were little. When… whenever I had a bad dream…" Bella whispered.

She tried hard to hold onto the good memory before it floated to the recesses of her mind. It was a peaceful one. The smell of her aunts skin- cinnamon and roses- and her vanilla and coconut shampoo had a way of soothing her, the same way they had all those years before when she'd been held in the same comforting arms around her now.

"I'm glad you have something happy told remember, Bella. It's always better with just one small light to battle the darkness. Give it time, more will be made." Sarah promised.

Bella pulled away and looked down at her hands. "Do you… I mean… can… I uh… can I help you make dinner tonight?"

"Of course. I would love the help. I tell you what… you finish up that calculus and then we'll think of something special. We can even invite Seth and Paul over." Sarah said with a grin when Bella blushed.

She'd gotten closer to both boys. They seemed to be going out of their way to show her that she was safe with them. Even Jacob seemed to trust them. She couldn't help but let a small smile free. Maybe it would be ok.

(~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~)

Paul sighed and knocked on Billy's front door. He nodded when Sarah answered it not a minute later. "Hi… um… Sue sent me over."

Sarah nodded. "Come on in. I was just helping Bella with her calculus. I thought she would send Seth, or Leah even."

"Nah. They're busy right now. I just came from their place. I was helping her hang a few shelves while Harry's at work." Paul followed her into the kitchen and smiled at Bella. "Hey Bella."

"Hey Paul." She offered him a shy smile before glaring in disdain at her math book.

With an arched eyebrow, Paul walked over to the table and pointed at the empty chair beside her. "Can I?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah.. I guess."

"You know… I was pretty good at calculus when I took it last year. I bet I could help you with it." He offered.

Bella's head whipped up to look at him. "A-are you… um… are you sure?"

"How could I deny a pretty face like the one in front of me?" He teased with a smile.

He'd taken to offering her at least one compliment a day, trying to give her confidence a boost. The pack had picked up on it rather quickly, but so far the only three she'd been comfortable getting them from were him, Seth and Jacob.

Bella's head shook. "I'm.. no… I-I'm not… I'm not pretty." She stuttered out.

Paul frowned. "What makes you say that?" It wasn't said harsh, and it wasn't said in a nasty way. He really wanted to know.

_ "You'll never amount to a thing! Look at you! Ugly and plain as the day is long! You're never going to find a husband with looks like that! And you're fat Bella! No one will want to marry you! You're a slob!"_

_ "Look who it is! It's nasty Bella!"_

_ "God! Don't you ever wear different clothes?! Where do you shop… a garbage bin?!"_

_ "When was the last time you took a bath, Bella?! You're disgusting! Do everyone a favor and go home. You're not welcome around here anymore!"_

_ "Disgrace."_

_ "Pathetic."_

_ "Nothing!"_

_ "Better off. Dead."_

"Bella?"

Bella didn't realize there were tears in her eyes until Sarah had gathered her into her arms. "Shh. You're safe! Paul and I are right here. You're safe with us." She cooed while rocking her.

Paul swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry, Sarah. Bella… I'm sorry-" He paused when Bella's hand slowly reached out. Nothing was said, but her cool fingers on the heated skin of his arm let him know she wasn't upset with him at all.

Sarah squeezed Paul's shoulder in comfort. "Why don't you help Bella into the bathroom. The boys are going to be here shortly. I don't think she wants them to see her upset." She commanded gently.

"Of course. Come on Bella. Lets go get you cleaned up, ok?" His smile dropped some when Bella nodded, her eyes adverted to the floor.

Sarah sighed. Bella was getting better, but there were moments where she fell back inside of herself after a bout of painful memories found their way to the surface. She glanced at the wall clock and sighed again. Right on cue, her son, Embry, Quil and Seth traipsed in through the back door, all of them laughing and joking. They froze when they saw Sarah with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Hey mom…" Jacob tried for a sweet smile. It came out highly nervous.

Four wolves danced from foot to foot as Sarah stood quietly in front of them. With an arch of her eyebrow, she pointed to the table in a wordless demand to start their homework. They followed her order without hesitation. She smiled and set out a giant plate of cookies as well as four glasses of milk.

Paul heard it all.

He didn't care.

His focus was on his brother's imprint. The one he had made cry without even trying. "I'm really sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's ok. I'm um… I… it's hard… the memories come sometimes like that… it's getting better…there are fewer times in between them now.." Bella told him in a whisper.

He placed his hand on Bella's arm, turning it to see the faint scars there. He frowned and traced a couple. They looked.. But.. No…

"I was so desperate for it to end." She whispered.

"Bella?" He swallowed thickly.

She tucked her arms around herself and looked away. "They're not the happiest times in my life… but for those few minutes… I was free."

He sighed and gently squeezed her hand. He understood what she meant. He understood what she meant. He'd spent his time buried in bottle after bottle when he first phased. If not the alcohol, the women were the next best thing to use in order to chase the foul memories of his tormented childhood away.

The howl for shift change sounded causing Paul to sigh. "I have to go for a little while. I'll see you later though, ok?"

She nodded. "Sure."

By the time she wandered back into the kitchen to help Sarah, the boys were nearly finished with their homework. Seth looked up when she entered- the smell of her now dried tears not completely masked by the water she clearly used to clean her face. He smiled and gave her a small wave, pleased when she took the empty seat beside him at the table to finish her own homework.

"You ok, Bella?" Seth asked when their homework was finished. They were the last two to leave the table, their friends having moved to the living room to play a game of Call of Duty- something Bella noticed always ended up with one of them bruised or bleeding.

Men.

She offered him a polite smile and a shy nod of her head. "I'm alright. Just had some bad memories resurface earlier. They're not coming as often though."

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help you more." He sighed.

She shook her head. "You do help… you and Paul are the only two who listen sometimes." She muttered.

Seth eyed her. "What about your aunt Sarah?"

"I don't tell her a lot of things you guys know. I don't think she'd get it." She muttered.

The wolf within him preened slightly. She trusted him over her own family. Admittedly, she had mentioned Paul as well… but she trusted him with certain knowledge her own aunt didn't have. He couldn't help but wonder when the right time to tell her HIS secret would be.

They were interrupted by Sarah's throat clearing. "Hey, Bella. I have to run to the store to get a few things for dinner. I thought maybe you'd like to come."

Bella looked shyly at Seth and bit her lip. He smiled encouragingly. Going out of the house still had her jumpy. She sighed and nodded her head.

"It sounds fun, aunt Sarah." She finally said with a weak smile.

Sarah nodded her head. "I'll wait for you in the car, ok? It just started raining some."

"I should probably get home too. Thanks for letting me come over, Sarah." Seth grinned.

"Be careful going home Seth. It's supposed to start storming soon. The last one before winter… it's always the worst." Sarah mused.

Seth nodded and hugged Bella gently. "You'll do alright. No one is ever gonna hurt you again." He promised.

Bella nodded. She knew his words were meant to comfort her. In the back of her mind, though, she knew she wasn't out of the woods yet. There was a feeling in the pit of her stomach that something bad was lurking just behind her and it would all come to a head soon.

(~_~_~_~_~_~)

The people in Forks were just too nosey for Bella's liking. She'd found out quick that everyone knew everyone else. And everyone who'd known Charlie wanted to know her. She clung to Sarah as a lifeline and kept her head down as they walked through the aisles, only offering polite nods and small smiles to anyone who dared talk about her father. Sarah told them she was painfully shy- something they all agreed she'd inherited from her father.

It wasn't until they were in the parking lot putting groceries in the car that they were confronted by the Same girl and boy Bella had seen in the hospital after she'd first woken up. She inhaled sharply and grabbed at Sarah's hand, holding tightly to her. Sarah, for her part, remained calm and simply closed the trunk of her car so she could face Edward and Alice.

"What do you two want?" She hissed.

Alice ignored her in favor of smiling at Bella. "It's good to see you again, Bella. You're looking so much better now."

Edward eyed the girl, nodding at his sister's assessment. "You do seem to look better. How have you been?"

Bella let out a shaking breath. Something about him had her screaming at herself to run. "What do you want?" She asked weakly.

Edward sighed. "I've missed you."

"I don't know you."

Alice smiled. "You will. I just know we're going to be amazing friends!"

Bella backed even more into her aunts side. The pale skin they had, the way they held themselves, even the way they talked all reminded her of the demon she'd been plagued most of her life by. Her heart sped up as unwanted memories began swimming in the forefront of her mind.

"You two need to leave… now." Sarah growled.

Alice sneered at her. "Last time I checked, you were on OUR territory."

"Alice… no." Edward grabbed her shoulder to keep her grounded. He saw the unease in Bella and sighed.

Sarah sneered as well. "Try it. Do you REALLY want to break the treaty? Here I am… the chief's wife… a pack mother. Imagine the trouble you'd be in."

"Bella… come on. You don't belong there with them. We can help you." Alice said while looking directly at the shaking girl.

Sarah moved to stand in front of her, erasing the fog that had begun clouding her mind. "I think it's time I call my husband." She snapped.

"You'll call Sam first. And anyone else on patrol. Your husband in the least of our concern at the moment. Alice, we need to leave. Today isn't the day." Edward said cryptically. "Bella, love, I'll see you again."

Bella shook her head and pressed herself against the car when he tried to move closer. She'd seen movements like that before. The man who haunted her nightmares moved that way. Taking a look into Edward's eyes brought tears to her own. They weren't red, but they were close enough. They were black- black enough that she could see herself mirrored in them. She whimpered and he backed away. In the blink of an eye he and his sister were gone.

"Bella? Bella sweetie… come on… look at me sweetheart." Sarah said cradling her face in her hands.

Tears fell from her frightened eyes as Sarah guided her into the seat. She rushed to the driver's side and started the car. They weren't even out of the parking lot before the breaks had been slammed. Bella let out a gasp as she looked out of the windshield glass at the man standing there. Pale skin, tattered clothes, no shoes, and burning red eyes.

Her demon.

He smirked and ran off into the trees. Sarah's breath hitched as she fumbled for her phone. Bella heard her panicked conversation with Sam- odd that Edward had known she would call him- before her own panic threatened to overtake her. Sarah's hand on her arm kept her from falling off the edge, but she still saw the memories vividly in her head.

"_Bella… why is that guy staring at you like that?"_

_ Bella turned to look at where Courtney had nodded. She gasped and turned, her eyes wide with a small hint of fear in them, to drag her friend away. Once they were inside the school building, Bella sighed. How had he found her again?_

_ "Bella… are you ok?"_

_ "I've run into him a few times. He scared me… really bad. There's something about him… something… not right."_

_ Courtney frowned. "Bella… you need to tell someone."_

_ She sighed. "Like who? My mom? The teachers? The councilor? Courtney, no one listens. If I say anything as soon as the cops leave the house I'll get hit for bringing them through the doors."_

_ "So what… you're gonna wait for him to… to… to kill you or something?! It's NOT gonna happen! Bella! It's NOT gonna happen do you hear me?!"_

_ Bella watched as her best friend's eyes welled with tears. They were protective of each other- almost possessively so. If one of them hurt, the other hurt as well. If one got scared, the other soothed away their fears. They'd made a pact to always look out for each other._

_ "I won't if I can help it. I'll try to avoid him at all costs. I promise you, no matter what, I'll stay safe."_

_ Courtney nodded. "I can't lose you, Bella. I just can't. You're the good thing in my life… you survive everything that comes your way."_

_ "Not without you." Bella said with a weak smile. "You make me strong."_

Sarah's hand on her arm pulled her from her memories long enough to let her know they'd be home soon. For the rest of the car ride, both women were quiet. Bella was too terrified to speak and Sarah prayed that as far as she'd come, this encounter wouldn't pull her back again.

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**Author's Note****:**

I'm sorry this hasn't been updated in FOREVER. The plot bunnies have been avoiding this one. I got some amazing inspirational songs from Jarms on TR today... I really appreciate her help (You should SO check out her stories... they're AMAZING)... hopefully you'll like what I've done with the chapter. The next one will be out soon, I promise!


	13. 12

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Chapter 12

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**Author's Note:** I'm so very sorry that this took so long to write. A lot of things going on, plus a muse who refused to listen to my demands for Seth to be written…. Hopefully this isn't garbage and a few of you will still enjoy it. As always, I hope to hear from you- your thoughts, comments, questions and the like are always welcome. Thanks again for not throwing me into a snake pit to watch me suffer for the lack of new material.

-LK

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Seth sighed and watched Bella sitting on the back porch. The holidays had passed without many setbacks; the only one the pack showed any concern over being the leech showing his face to Bella. He'd found an address in the hospital records, and had sent her one or two letters in the mail. What those letters had contained, none of them knew for sure. The pack along with Billy and Sarah had watched her shut down, folding in on herself before walking into her room and locking herself inside for the rest of the night. Not even Sarah had been able to break through the moat of depression and anxiety she'd encased around her mind.

The pack hating seeing her regress, but each of them were at a loss as to how to help. None of them had ever been what she'd been through save for Paul and they were all to wary to ask him what he thought. They'd all seen him melt down, and as it stood, his wolf would fight the next person who approached him. Seeing a girl he thought of as a sister tormented had him too on edge. Even Seth had become nearly unapproachable. He and Paul spent hours on patrol, running themselves to exhaustion to try and release some of the anger they held for Bella's tormenter.

_ "You know Sam's going to kill you if he finds out you're just sitting here, right?"_

Seth huffed and butted his head against his friend's side as soon as he sat beside him. Brady had been the last wolf to phase causing some concern among the elders. They'd never seen a pack as big as the current one and it had them scratching their heads trying to figure out just why.

_ "I haven't been here that long, Brady. He'll find out about it if you say something. Besides, she's my imprint. I just want to make sure she's alright. She's been having nightmares a lot lately."_

Brady sighed. _"I'm sure she's fine. Listen. She's breathing fine and her heart rate is normal. Let's finish our patrol and get some sleep. You can talk to her in the morning, alright?"_

_ "I can't argue with that. Sleep does sound good right now." _Seth mused. He and Brady took off to finish their patrol leaving Bella to her dreams.

(~_~_~)

_ Bella looked around in confusion. How did she get back here? She'd left this hellhole the day her Uncle Billy flew with her to Washington. The floor lay bare at her feet, the hardwood freezing to the touch. She shivered as she scanned the barely furnished room with something akin to disdain in her eyes. _

_ A lone mattress against the wall under a grimy window had been haphazardly made. Her bookshelf had seen better days; the shelves had started to fall apart within the already rickety frame. Her small collection of favored books had been read and re-read countless times and most of them had started coming apart at their seams. They had always been her favorite escapes from the torment of her day to day life- an outlet for the terror her abused mind encountered from her mother- someone meant to love and protect her- and which ever man happened to be in their house that week. _

_ "Hey B."_

_ Cautious brown eyes widened with shock. She knew that voice, but how could she hear it now?_

_ "Courtney?" _

_ "It's good to know I'm not __**that **__easy to forget!" Courtney grinned. _

_ Bella offered her a small smile. "I could never forget you Courtney. I'm sorry I haven't been to see you… some things happened… And now"_

_ "And now you're in a different state and you have a serious stalker problem and issues opening up to your family and new friends. I know. It's alright, B." Courtney told her before pulling her to sit with her on the bed._

_ Bella stared at her in shock. "How could you possible know that? You d-died before I left…. How are you even here? WHY are you even here!? How can I even touch you! You're dead!"_

_ "Bella!" Courtney sighed in exasperation. "I made you a promise. I'll ALWAYS look out for you! You're still dreaming by the way. The mind is funny like that. I AM a ghost, but you needed someone you could trust."_

_ Bella's eyes welled with tears. "I miss you so much. I'm so grateful for my aunt… she didn't have to take me in like she did... I just wish you were still here too! It hurts!"_

_ "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have shot my mouth off to him… he went after my sister… I had to do something. But, B, you're strong too! You can do this! I'll always be here for you, but you can do this on your own! And I've seen you talking to Paul… and the cutie… Seth?" Courtney snickered._

_ "They're not you!" Bella snapped._

_ Courtney smiled fondly at her. "I'll be here and we can still talk. I'll stay for as long as you need me."_

_ "I don't want to wake up then." Bella huffed. She'd ignored most everything else Courtney had told her. She knew it was true, but she didn't feel that strong at the moment._

_ Courtney grinned. "But you have to, goofy. Just… Bella… you should tell them… about him… the guy stalking you… they're smarter than they all look… and… you should trust them… they CAN help you! Talk to Seth… trust him, Bella. You already talk to Paul…. Talk to Seth too!"_

_ "I don't understand. Courtney… how do I tell them that he's been following me since I was like seven?!" Bella's voice sounded quiet._

_ "You'll think of something. They'll understand. They love you, maybe more than I do."_

_ Bella shook her head. "Never. You were -are- my best friend! Can't I just stay here? I don't want to wake up Courtney!"_

_ "It's time to get up Bella. Talk to them!" Courtney giggled and waved._

Bella gasped and opened her eyes, startled by the weight on her bed. Her heart slowed when she saw her Aunt Sarah smiling at her. She sighed and sat up, wiping the sleep from her eyes. Her chin wobbled as she remembered seeing her best friend in her dream. Without saying a word she launched herself into her aunt's arms.

"Are you alright sweetheart? I heard you mumbling in your sleep. You yelled a name…" Sarah tried.

Bella nodded. "I… she… I was back…. There… in my old room."

"Who is Courtney?" She asked.

Bella wiped a few tears from her eyes. "She was my best friend. Her dad… he abused her too… and uh… other things…" She frowned, trying to find the right words to tell her aunt that her best friend had been assaulted and raped by her dads friends as well as her dad himself when he got too drunk.

Sarah's eyes closed. She could guess what her niece meant. "So what happened to her? Did someone help her?"

"No… sh- she's dead. She died last year… I had a dream about her." Bella whispered. "I dreamed that I could talk to her again… hug her…"

Sarah sighed. "Oh sweetheart…" She rocked Bella and smoothed down her hair.

Bella tensed. The action felt foreign to her. Her own mother had never done anything that loving for her in her life. Renee had given Bella plenty of bruises and sharp tongued, venom laced insults about her looks but she'd never given her unconditional love and comfort. The tears fell from her eyes as she clung to Sarah, trying to escape the all too real dream.

"You're safe here, Bella. I know it'll be a long time coming, but I hope one day you feel safe enough to talk to us and trust us." Sarah murmured.

Bella sighed and pulled away from Sarah. "I know… aunt Sarah, I do feel safe here. Courtney told me in my dream that I had to talk to you… that I was stronger than I thought I was… but… That… um… that man… the one we saw… I don't feel so strong anymore."

"Your friend sounds wise. Do you know that dreams can often be a gateway for spirits to talk to us? It's what we believe- the tribe I mean." Sarah told her with a smile.

She shook her head. "No, I didn't know that at all."

"Bella… who was that man? Can you tell me?" Sarah asked, her voice gentle.

She sighed and picked at her nails. She thought about her dream and closed her eyes. "He's…. I… when I was 7.… he's been following me… every new town I move to, he shows up a month or two later…"

"So he's been stalking you since you were seven?" Sarah sounded horrified. "Did you ever tell anyone?"

Bella shrugged. "A couple times I tried to tell Renee. She didn't like the attention though, so I learned to keep my head down and stay quiet."

Not for the first time, Sarah was grateful that Renee had been buried in another state. She felt sure she'd tried to resurrect the woman just to kill her again. What Bella must have gone through- it was a wonder to her that she'd not been put in a mental ward somewhere.

"Bella, I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about it. I'd never let anyone hurt you- anyone in this family included. I promise you that."

Tears welled in her eyes as she nodded. She trusted her aunt, and with Courtney's words floating in her head, she finally felt safe enough to let the older woman know what she'd kept locked in her head for so long now. "He didn't… he changed…the man…"

Sarah rubbed her back and offered her a kind smile. "What makes you say he's changed- other than growing older?"

"That's…. he… I don't think he has… he looks the same as when I saw him at seven… just his eyes are different. When I saw him in New York, they were this… like crystal blue color… and now they're just red… like he's wearing contacts…"

Sarah sighed and held her close. "Don't worry Bella, he'll never hurt you. He won't get close to you again. You're safe!"

Bella curled herself against her aunt, basking in the warmth and comfort the older woman sent to her. "Do you… do you think Seth and Jake would listen to me without getting mad? Paul does… he knows how it feels…"

"I think they would understand that you've been hurt deeply in the past, and I think it would be up to you if you told them anything or everything. However, I will say, that if you tell them, they won't judge you, Bella. They'll only love you more." The silence returned and lulled Bella into a state of semi peace, allowing her troubled mind to be calmed for the first time since she'd been a small girl.

"Bella?"

Sarah and Bella looked up to see Jacob standing in her doorway, shifting from foot to foot, with Seth and Paul behind him, watching her with open concern. Bella let out a shaky breath. "Hey guys…"

"I- we didn't mean to just… we uh…. We wanted to uh…." Jacob tried to find the right words to explain why he, Seth and Paul stood in her doorway.

Bella offered them a weak smile. She leaned in to her aunts side again seeking her comfort. Talking brought everything to the surface of her thoughts, and with her dream still fresh in her mind, it only added to that fear and confusion that had been blanketed by the woman's comforting presence. She'd have to let go of it all sooner or later.

"Bella? Do you want us to go?" Seth asked after a moment of silence passed.

"No… you can stay… I guess… um…" Bella sat up and scooted herself against her headboard.

Sarah grinned. "Why do I go make everyone something to eat. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"You ok Bella?" Seth asked sitting at the foot of the bed noticing the tears still on her cheeks.

She nodded. "I just had a weird dream. I told aunt Sarah about it…"

"You alright?" Jacob asked.

"Maybe… I think so."

Paul huffed. He eyed the girl for another minute before pulling out her desk chair and taking a seat beside his pack mates. "Talk later?"

"Now?" She asked, praying inside her head the Courtney had been right.

Seth and Jacob looked at each other, stunned that she'd be willing to talk to them. Paul gave her a small, encouraging nod. Something had changed and he could only thank the spirits that they'd given her the ability to see that they could help her.

Sarah watched from the doorway an hour later. She knew why they'd come over to see her. Seth had felt her anxiety through their shared bond, Jacob was her cousin and Paul would have been called by Seth because of his connection to the girl. They kept her distracted as she spoke, telling them for the first time things that she'd been through- from her mothers abuse, to losing Courtney, and now, to the man who had stalked her across the country for half of her life. She prayed to the spirits that things started to look up, she didn't know what would happen otherwise.

"Hey, so… you wanna hear some of our stories?" Her son's cheerful grin broke through another barrier inside of her niece.


End file.
